The Search Begins
by SaiyanWarrior-Vegeta
Summary: First Contact is made between the Saiyans and the crew of USS Enterprise D. Something has caught the attention of the rising Saiyan King, Vegeta and the Federation of Planets. Can the Saiyans and the Federation figure out what is going on before a Universal threat emerges? Reviews are always appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Encounters**_

No one knew what had happened to the NCC 1701 – D USS Enterprise since it had gone down on the planet, Veridian Three approximately one year ago. The event would have been monumental on that fateful, sunny day ending in the destruction a legendary ship. By now the United Federation of Planets had written the ship off as a complete loss marking it down as destroyed. The saucer section was badly damaged but for the most part still intact. The crew that served upon its bridge and other parts gave it one last look as if thanking the ship for bringing them safely to the ground. It was a bittersweet farewell.

Since the time the Enterprise was considered a loss, there seemed to be little to no activity picked up within the region of space that it had gone down. Nearly undetectable by any sensor, two pods were careening towards that sector of space carrying one occupant in each pod. They were white and circular with just a colored glass for them to see through. This was no race that the Federation had ever seen nor heard of. As the pods broke through the atmosphere, they crashed land down in the valley near the saucer section of the Enterprise leaving a couple craters of their own.

When the pods had rested on the ground for about ten seconds, the pods opened. One of the Saiyans was dressed in blue and white with candle flame styled hair. He was rather short but stoutly built. The other was a little taller than the first person with hair spiked out to either side. It was a good bet that no one around this area or even in the Federation space knew they were now scrounging around parts of the old Enterprise. The shorter one, took note of the size of the craft and seemed to indicate that he was planning a way to lift it from the surface of the planet.

Over the right eye was a glass attached to a white earpiece that covered the ear. With a single tap on the earpiece, he was an instant communication with even more from his race. Solid black eyes surveyed the area trying to determine the best course of action to achieve this process. As many calculations ran through his mind he finally nodded, coming up with such a plan and summoned more to come to aid. The person with the candle flame hair however was more important than any of the others that had gathered.

As other pods crashed down around them, this race commenced upon the saucer. Instead of going over it though, they surrounded it using ki blasts to blast the ship free of any tethers that may have grown upon the saucer to keep it earthbound. Once it was completed, the group worked as one as slowly but surely, they hoisted the saucer section into the air, making it airborne under their own power. Once it was off the ground the hard part was to come, getting it back into space.

It did not take them long however, building what looked like a mesh underneath the saucer with energies. Once they had it secured in the mesh they lifted it through the atmosphere into space where it became nearly weightless. What may have been a foreboding task to any other race seemed much like child's play to this one. Now it was time to get under way. With a bit of shielding, they moved the saucer section without any effort at all. Before anyone was the wiser, or tracked their movements, they had already slipped back into the uncharted part of the Typhon Expanse.

Once the saucer was near their planet, they slowed its decent so no further damage was done to the hull and other interior structures. This kept the others busy long enough and in the meantime, this particular Saiyan had other things that he needed to do. "I want it assessed for interior damage on the main structure and also start replicating the computer systems inside. I want a report of the condition given to Kakarrot by end of tomorrow."

Having given his commands this person walked from the large section and began to dig up information of the ships that had been used in Starfleet. Once he had obtained the schematics from the ship's own computers, he quickly determined what the star ship was to look like. It was an impressive size, and rebuilding was going to take some effort, but he was confident that it could be done with minimal time allotted for the craft. Once he had it in the hands of his Engineers, they set to the task of the rebuilding.

"King Vegeta, why do you want this to be repaired? Its not even from our race nor our area of space." Another asked him, and not without undue consideration to what the actual plans were. They had not been told why they were to hunt for this craft and to bring it to their world to repair it when they got around just as easily in their pods with little risk of detection from the other ships that crisscrossed the space near the Expanse.

The King looked back at the person and simply gave a touch of a grin. "You do not know the service of this craft do you? To say the least it was honorable. When it dropped from service about a year ago, I knew something had to have happened to it and it seems the Humans that left it there did not have the means nor the time to repair this ship."

The other nodded once. "This ship did come into a part of our space before didn't it? If I'm not mistaken, it was caught in a time loop and by the end of that mission had gotten out another Federation ship as well. After that I don't think any other has dared try to come here."

"And with good reason." Vegeta stated looking out at the massive craft, now in safe hands that began to repair the Galaxy Class starship to its former glory. "Their ships are often too large to navigate through this sector without some issues of some sort or another. Our pods are much more maneuverable and they don't require half the technology that is needed for the Enterprise."

There was a moment the two just stared out at the ship and then Vegeta nodded. "I have to go to the United Federation of Planets to see what they're up to now. They may be building the Enterprise E for all we know. This will also be a first contact mission since they may not think that we even exist. Tell Kakarrot that he is in charge until I return. Work on the ship will commence and they should report the findings to him." With that, he quickly turned on heel and summoned for a pod.

Vegeta removed the scouter, having a feeling that he may not need it for this mission. He set the coordinates and sat back, letting the pod fly itself. There was little more to do than sleep until he reached the system where the ships were built or more to the point to the Space Station that housed the crew that had once flown the Enterprise upon its many missions. Leaning into sleep the warrior would rest for now.

Back on the planet, the other Saiyans would find the ship in some parts severely damaged, in other parts, barely touched. When they started to secure the more damaged sections, they began the process of rebuilding, taking the needed materials to make it stronger, faster, and much more durable to the elements. Most crafts would not yet have that technology to build its strength up to what the Saiyans had already accomplished long ago.

As the Saiyan King slipped through space, the warrior woke after about eight hours sleep and sat with his arms crossed for now as he watched the stars slip past his craft. It took three weeks for the small pod to be detected by another vessel and still they had no idea how to handle this lone occupant nor its small pod. It did not look like the Cardassians, the Romulans, nor the Klingons. It also certainly was not a Ferengi nor other ship that they had spotted before. All they knew was that this small vehicle also did not have any outward method of propulsion. It was an interesting craft that left the majority of the people upon the vessel scratching their heads, trying to figure it out.

The USS Farragut tried to figure out this small conundrum in their space. It did not seem to have shields, not even weapons on board. How it moved was still much of a mystery to them and the Saiyan seemed to relish in the fact scan after scan of the pod had yet to reveal its secrets to the ship that was now tailing him. Captain John T. Carter had his ship follow the small pod that was now nearing the star base near Earth One. That was when the pod finally came to slow down and even hover. This caught their attention and held it for some time.

"Sir, someone is hailing us through voice transmission only." The Security officer would say to the Captain.

John stood up as if looking for a face to appear as well but had trained his gaze on the small ship that they had followed. "Open channels."

Once the hailing frequency was open, the Captain spoke in a diplomatic yet very concerned tone. "This is Captain John Carter of the NCC - 60597 USS Farragut. You have entered into the United Federation space. Please identify yourself and your reason for being here."

There seemed to be a lingering silence for now as both ships came to a stop a mere one hundred kilometers from the space station. Finally the transmission would come through. "I am King Vegeta of the Planet Vegeta. This is a Saiyan Pod from the area you know as the Typhon Expanse. I request permission to come aboard your Space Station to speak of a First Contact opportunity. Don't worry about secrets, I have a feeling I won't be needing them. I also understand that you will need time to contact the appropriately ranked personnel. I have stopped my pod until further word is given to proceed to the star base."

How could someone they have never heard of, from a race they had never seen, have the ability to know that they had to go through a chain of command to get clearance for such things? It seemed mind boggling as the Captain looked out at the smaller craft. It would seem almost too easy to destroy the craft if push came to shove. When the transmissions cut out, the Captain began talking through the Chain of Command at Starfleet Central Command. It seemed to take an hour before John could begin to transmit back to the small pod in front of them. "This is Captain Carter, and you have permission to land upon the star base. You will be docking in bay three. We'll meet you when you land."

Once Vegeta had his landing area, he propelled the pod closer then prepared it for landing gently instead of the usual crashing to the ground. Once he was within docking bay three, he took a moment to make sure that all the systems were off, the computer growing dark as the pod door opened in a downward fashion with two hydraulics guiding a smooth decent to the floor.

Stepping out on to the smooth floor, the warrior looked about quietly at first to those that had gathered to witness this moment in time. Then Vegeta heard a report coming in over his scouter. Tapping the earpiece of the device, he replied. "Proceed with the repairs, and take caution not to rush the process. It will be considered a delicate operation. Also, make sure that we have several pods going to each border of the Empire to ensure unwelcome intruders are kept at bay. Also send about ten more empty pods as well. Are my orders clear?" The Saiyan stated almost as if barking a command versus asking a question.

"Yes my lord, it will be carried out accordingly." The other voice said before tapping off the scouter and Vegeta did the same before pulling off the communications device. It was then that a couple Captains and an Admiral all came together to shake hands with the unknown person upon deck. Vegeta looked over at Captain John Carter, then to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and then to the Admiral and nodded once.

"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard. I used to command the NCC 1701-D USS Enterprise. I'm now waiting my new ship to be built. It is a pleasure to make First Contact with you. We have tried to go into the Typhon Expanse and it has been deemed by Starfleet too dangerous to enter due to the numerous anomalies that occur in that sector of space." He stated with little hesitation and offered an extended hand in greeting.

Vegeta looked at the hand extended and after getting a feel of their energies, decided they were not a threat at this moment. Only then did the Saiyan King reach his hand out and took the Captain's own in the desired greeting that was common to the human race. "We know of the anomalies of the Expanse and of your ships skirting around it now for some time. We also know of the time that you were caught in a time-loop and ended up pulling the USS Bozeman from that region."

The three officers would raise a brow lightly at the knowledge of this lone person. The King gave a light sigh as he shook his head. "To put it bluntly, there is not much at all that happens there without our knowledge. It is after all the Saiyan Empire. We patrol the borders on a regular basis and therefore we know that your ships are often too large to come into our Empire that easily. Shall we go somewhere to sit down and have something to eat or drink? After a long ride here, I would say I'm quite thirsty."

"Of course, lets go to the galley and find something to eat and drink." Jean-Luc replied and when the other Captain and the Admiral excused themselves, the older gentleman had to ask. "I've never heard of a Saiyan. What kind of race is it?" He asked with eager anticipation on the tip of his tongue. After meeting several species, Picard could hardly pass up meeting another, and a new race which had been unknown to the Federation for as long as they had been around. Here in front of him now was an opportunity to do just that, a First Contact meeting.

The warrior turned and looked at the cafeteria for now and nodding to the bartender to order a tall glass of water. When he had it in hand, Vegeta sat down across from the Human in front of him and stared at it for a moment before his own gaze lowered just a bit to sip on the water and quench his thirst. "My people are a warrior race, ready to take up arms at any moment against Universal threats."

"Universal threats…" Captain Picard stated, his words trailing off as if trying to figure out what that meant.

Vegeta looked into his water for a moment. "These threats can and will destroy not just planets, but also galaxies if not stopped. Some could even threaten the Universe itself. Those are what we go after. Interracial spats and scuffles are well avoided and do not concern us unless it graduates to a Universal issue." It was not that difficult to fathom for himself, but the others he knew, may struggle with the idea. At that time, the pods would land as directed in the docking bay as well.

Picard nodded as he sipped on his own drink at the moment. "Such threats seem unlikely with the Federation, the Klingons, and other areas around space. There is a neutral zone for the Cardassians and the Romulans that was agreed upon in our treaties. Surely they are not such an issue."

Vegeta glanced upward to meet Picard's own gaze as he again sipped on his water. The Captain's were a stone blue color. It was at this time, Picard finally got a good look at the warrior sitting across from him. Where most races had irises of some color, this person did not have any. They were black and more, they seemed to draw a person into the dark depths of the mysterious gaze. The figure before him was well built, as if not one ounce of fat touched any part of the chiseled frame.

The deep, gruff voice sounded more proud than accented, but Picard could tell that it was definitely an accent when the Saiyan finally replied. "Those races would hardly pose threat to us. No the ones we tend to deal with have enough raw energy to bat your mighty ships about with a mere flick of a finger. Those are the ones we go after."

Vegeta took another sip as the other sat back, trying to wrap his mind around what was just stated. The warrior then set his glass down as he seemed to go into deep thought. It was then the scouter beeped and Vegeta put it on once more, tapping a button. "This is Vegeta." It seemed he did not have to say more than that as the warrior's brow knit.

"Sire, we have a few ships bordering our Empire. They claim to be Cardassian ships. Should we take them out?" The other voice stated with a touch of irritance in his voice.

Standing up, Vegeta looked over toward his home, his Empire and dipped his head lightly, the brow knitting. Captain Picard watched standing as well. "Report?" Jean-Luc uttered before he realized that old habits died hard from his time on the Enterprise. Seeing the sudden change in the warrior was a bit unsettling. What could have made the warrior suddenly take on such a demeanor in the middle of a conversation?

Giving a light growl, Vegeta tapped on the scouter again. "Hold them off for now. Try hailing them and if they don't respond, fire a shot across the bow. If that doesn't work take out their shields and weapons. No ship is to be destroyed until I get there." The burning rage within the Saiyan's gaze glanced in the Captain's direction.

Picard tapped on his comm badge. "Riker, Data, La Forge, and Worf, get a crew together, I have a feeling we're about to go on a mission. Meet us at docking bay three." Once it was said the two were already well underway as the Saiyan maintained a quick pace a couple steps ahead until the Captain jogged up to him and matched his pace. "What's happening Vegeta?"

The warrior did not even glance over at Picard as he walked briskly toward the docking bay. "The Cardassians are at our border, and it seems they have amassed an army to try to enter our Empire with force. They don't know that we could take every one of them out and not break a sweat. If they think they can enter to try to take over the Saiyans, they have another thing coming. We Saiyans had been under the rule of a tyrant before, and while I'm King, its not going to happen again."

With that, the two broke into a bit of a jog and when they came across the others. Nodding to the team joining up, they jogged with the Warrior King in the lead. This was no time for him to mosey about and Vegeta began tapping on a pad to activate his pod with it already hovering in the air within the bay. Once they reached the pods, Vegeta turned to those that had gathered and seemed to take each one into memory. "Use the pods before you. They are set to follow my craft, and should be pretty easy to program. They may be in Federation space and if I know your treaties, that means that they have broken your's as well. We'll hold them off but if they cross into my Empire borders, I will have no choice but to defend my home and the many races there."

Data looked at the pods. "They do not appear to have shields or weapons. It is unlikely in a confrontation that we would be able to defend ourselves."

"Worry about that later. You're going to the Saiyan Empire, and these pods are the best for the Typhon Expanse where it's located. They're a lot more durable than you realize. I also thought you were open to observations but with your Prime Directive of non-interference. We Saiyans will keep you well shielded. Now are you coming or not? I don't have the time to waste." Vegeta's irritance grew as his expression became almost intimidatingly evil as the Warrior King stepped into the pod and punched in a couple buttons on the computer panel.

Picard watched as the other pods opened upon their touch and soon he got in the pod as well, next followed by Riker. Worf only smiled lightly. "I will gladly come into battle. Its been too long since I have seen combat as a warrior." It was then that he would get into his own, followed by Doctor Crusher, Deanna Troi, Data, and Geordi La Forge, and three others.

Once they were all inside the pods, Vegeta's and their doors closed as they began to hover and with little more to do, Vegeta leaned forward and the pods accelerated into hyperspace in faster time than the larger ships. In each pod was a scouter, which Picard put on, tapping the button as he had seen Vegeta do and then listened to the conversation ensuing between the King and his people.

There was another accented voice upon the scouter, a bit higher pitched than Vegeta's. "Sire, they have responded to our hails, but have ordered our unconditional surrender."

"To hell we'll surrender. Hail them back, tell them they can go to hell if they think they can take over our Empire." Vegeta growled back and soon he and the others were crossing the vast expanses about as fast as any of the Federation starships.

Back at the Empire, the Cardassians hailed the Saiyans again. "Surrender or have your pods destroyed. You have no shielding, no weapons, you can't fight us off, and we are much larger than you." The Cardassian leader stated nonchalantly.

Vegeta tapped on the scouter. "This is King Vegeta of the Planet Vegeta, ruler of the Saiyan Empire. You are breaching on sovereign territory and we will defend it at all costs. As for you destroying us, you can go to hell. Leave our space and return home, or face the consequences of your actions."

With a wave of the hand, the Cardassians launched a first wave attack with lasers, thinking it an easy defeat, when the lasers hit something and diffused. "We have far superior weapons. Surrender at once."

"Hold your ground. I'm just about there, and then we'll see who has 'far superior weapons'. Strengthen the shields and remain in defensive position." Vegeta countered, having no doubt who his people would listen to. "If any Cardassians are listening, this is your second warning. Leave our territory or suffer the consequences."

The shield now started to glow as they poured in more energy. Each pod had connected their energies, making it a formidable wall for as far as the eye could see in either direction. The leader of the Cardassians stepped back as the shield now shown itself. Each ship was reporting in on the daunting span of the barrier in front of them. "Fire the photon torpedoes. Lets see how strong this barrier is."

In just that moment, Vegeta and the others arrived at the barrier and after tapping a couple buttons, Vegeta came out onto the door and with his hands thrust forward destroying the torpedoes in one wave of energy. Then his attention turned to the Cardassians, tapping on his scouter, the Saiyan King again made his stand. "This is your third and final warning. Leave this area."

There seemed a bit of silence and Captain Picard noticed the strength of this one Saiyan, more, he was standing out in space, with no suit nor air supply. They seemed capable to stand and face off with the enemy that was many times their size and with several ships to their credit. The warrior however, was not fazed by the enormous ships that seemed to dwarf him and his comrades. Picard had no inkling of how they could even defend themselves, but now that they were here, this was going to be something of a showdown. However if that energy wave destroying the photon torpedoes were something to go by, the Cardassians may have bitten off more than they could chew with this leader.

Vegeta growled at the ship in front of him, his head tipping, his hand lifting as it twisted just a bit sideways. A burst of light flashed before the energy ball would form in his hand. There was a tense moment right before the leader of the Cardassians gave a laugh, heard by everyone that had a scouter on. "We have given you more than enough warning. Now, face the might of the Saiyan Empire." Vegeta stated, his voice cold, calculated, and not one shred of fear touched the voice nor composure. It was the calm before the storm.

Commander Riker heard the King's voice, cold with disdain and dangerously low. What made it frightening was that he did not yell. He only mentioned it in a tone that spoke infinitely of the danger that the Saiyan King posed against even an army of Cardassians. He leaned forward with interest, spellbound by the intense silence that seemed to fall upon both sides.

Worf watched intensely, understanding the silence between the Saiyans and the Cardassians. The next move the Cardassians made could either start a battle, or walk away intact. The Klingon warrior knew one thing for certain. However this battle panned out, the victor may be able to either claim this sector of space, or hold on to it, but an immense struggle was about to take place. This was a classic stare down. The smaller facing off against the larger.

A whisper was given by the Cardassian leader. "Fire all weapons, kill them all. That's what they get for standing in the way of the Cardassians."

With a release of breath, Vegeta glanced to the others. Gazing to the left toward the pods that contained the members of the crew that had piloted the Enterprise and then nodded only once. It was then that a few pods gathered about them and a shield enveloped them in a strong bubble of energy. With them now protected, Vegeta looked to his right and soon the barrier of energy was lowered.

The formidable shield was dropped, and though the Captain, Commander, and the others thought it a suicide move, Vegeta allowed the energy ball in his hand to remain. Once the weapons were starting to be fired, the King nearly laughed. "Fire a shot across the bow of the ships in a warning shot. Then disable their shields and weapons. Lets see if that gets their attention. Their ships' aim is so far off course, they don't even know how to hit a standing target."

With no other word, the ships strafed the area with their weapons, some bouncing off the shield around the crew. Deanna got an empathic feel over the Saiyan King. "Captain, he's as calm and confident as though he were facing a young child. He's in a dangerous mood."

"Yes, he is, and he does not even seem fazed by the amount of energy passing mere inches from him. We are here to observe though and he's upholding his word. We are shielded from the attack." Picard stated to his Counselor. There was not one crew member that was not astonished by the amount of energy this race held.

"Now." Vegeta stated and in that moment, one Saiyan per ship lifted above the ships and gave off a powerful energy wave. As each wave impacted the shields surrounding the Cardassian ships, they began to flicker and fade. Next, with scalpel precision, they took out the weapons with seeming ease.

On board the Cardassian ships, the Captains of each reported the shield failures, then the disarmament of their weapons. Some even began to retreat from the sector as Vegeta held off the warriors wanting to go after them. "No, let them go. They are light years behind our strength and we have not even begun to show what we're capable of. They did us no harm, and they're hardly a universal threat, just a mere pest that needed to be shown that we will not be pushed so easily."

It was not long before the other ships finally departed and Vegeta returned to the comfort of the pod. If not for the Saiyan pods still here, the crew could have thought the battle to never have even taken place. Vegeta only turned back. "Return home, and continue with the previous work. When we bring these people to our planet, I want the surprise waiting for them. What is the estimated time for it's completion?"

"It should be ready in another couple weeks my lord. Progress on it has been relatively easy with only minor setbacks." One replied back.

"Setbacks?" Vegeta asked as they seemed to converse to each other.

"Yes Sire, but nothing that could not be fixed easily. We're right on schedule for the completion date." The other Saiyan stated and with that, they stated their farewells and when the crew went one way with King Vegeta, the others went in the opposite direction.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Revelation**_

The trip back to the nearest star base was mostly one in silence. Once they had touched down though, the Saiyan King took a moment to reflect on the situation before getting out of the pod. The warrior headed alone for a cafeteria. This time though, he simply stared into his water, swirling it lightly. Vegeta seemed a bit distracted as Picard again came to sit at the table with him. "That was some display of strength." The Captain said, trying to gently break into the Saiyan's thoughts.

Vegeta looked up only briefly before leaning back in the seat, two fingers upon the table. "We could have destroyed each and every one of those ships and have been done with it. As it is though we've shredded their 'vaunted' pride and power and are going to have to dock to repair their ships." The warrior took a sip of his water as the Saiyan continued to gaze into it.

"My counselor states that you're withholding a lot of emotions and thoughts. Have you ever tried to sit down and talk things out?" The Captain asked the Saiyan across from him.

Tapping his fingers on the table lightly, Vegeta shook his head. "She would be right but I cannot afford the time nor luxury. However, what happened out there was something that would give the Cardassians something to think about. Keep in mind, that was not our full potential nor our full arsenal."

The Captain ordered a water for himself as well. "You really don't like attacking do you? The fact that you shown the Cardassians mercy would seem to indicate that."

Vegeta's lip curled lightly into a twisted expression of a disgusted snarl. "Don't take that as an act of mercy. That was a warning shot. It was them that chose to depart and save themselves from utter annihilation. However, battle is never something a warrior enters into lightly, and much less the King."

"You are the King and they were your people. What part of the Empire do you rule? I know there must be many kingdoms there." Jean-Luc inquired.

"I am the one that they report to. I'm the lone ruler of that Empire. The weight of many worlds weigh on my every decision. They may be loyal, but every life is precious." Vegeta stated before getting up and walking away wanting rather to be alone.

Picard watched as the warrior walked from the room, giving him time and space as Data entered the room and then stood for a moment. "Would it be alright if I joined you, Captain?" The Android asked in his inquisitive manner.

Once Data got the approval, he clasped his hands on the table and leaned forward just slightly. "Captain, I may have more information on our Saiyan guest. The information was a bit difficult to dig up, but I believe I may have found some trace remnants that may intrigue you."

"Yes I am most interested on our Saiyan guest. Data. Tell me what you know." Picard stated even as Commander Riker, Deanna, and Beverly came in to listen as well. Each of them sat around the table as Data began to recall some events. Each one leaned in to the conversation, definitely wanting to know more about what they had witnessed.

"According to sources, the Saiyans were once a migrant race that had gone from planet to planet until they settled on the one in the Typhon Expanse. Their race was indeed enslaved at one point by the Cold Empire which had come from beyond that territory. It was not until a person named Freiza ruled over them that they were forced to take out entire races just to please this creature." Data stated as the others listened, with Deanna beginning to understand more of the Warrior King.

Data continued on with the report. "That is when the former King Vegeta was ruler and sent his son, the one with us now, on a mission of diplomacy. Shortly after he was deployed to the other planet, Frieza destroyed his home and almost all of the Saiyans had been either scattered to the different corners of the universe, or killed. We are looking at one of the very few survivors of the Saiyan Race that had been on the original planet that they had once called home."

This took them by surprise but the Captain mulled it over a bit. "Its perhaps why he spared the Cardassians. Before he walked out, Vegeta stated that the weight of many worlds weighed on his every decision. They may be loyal, but every life is precious. If he were one used in those raids against those other planets…"

"It would explain his reserved temper." Deanna stated. "If he were used as a soldier to annihilate other races, the thought of each of them may still be haunting him today. That also means he has the blood of countless people on his hands. Vegeta may even feel as though he has to protect his new home against any threat that presents itself to the Typhon Expanse. It may also mean that Vegeta is beginning to trust us."

Commander Riker came to rest both elbows on the table. "If that is the case, and Vegeta becomes an ally, the power that he and his people wield could allow us time to drive off those that would threaten Federation space."

"We must be careful." Picard stated on an even tone. "Power that massive could make the Federation Council think that they can order the Saiyans to whatever place and take care of it. We then become no better than the race that had once enslaved the Saiyans."

It was not long before they too parted the table for deeper discussion as the Saiyan hovered cross legged in front of a window in meditation. Worf came to the quarters well aware of the history Data had dug upon the warrior now seeming to hover easily before a window. "Excuse me, do you mind if I came in and talked for a bit?" The Klingon asked of the Saiyan. "We could speak, warrior to warrior."

"Surely by now you know a little of my past. If that does not give you disgust, then please, come in." Vegeta stated, his eyes opening as the reflection in the glass shown a gaze that was perhaps touched with wisdom. It was the stare of a veteran fighter that had seen many battles, perhaps beyond his fair share.

Worf entered in the room as the doors slid shut behind him. He was not used to seeing a person hover in the air. Soon, he found his voice, deep, throaty, and strong. "We did hear of a bit of the past. Is it true? Were you used as a soldier to commit the genocide of so many other races?"

"I was not a soldier. I was a slave and yes, its true. Those years were dark times, and the Saiyans, myself included have since paid an extremely heavy price." He would let his legs down and landed lightly upon the floor as he then turned about and invited the Klingon to a chair. Then the warrior would turn around and sat as well.

"You claim innocence then?" Worf asked as they both sat down.

"I'm not innocent Worf, and the blood of countless races are on my hands. I was very young at that time, not nearly as strong, but I was still responsible for the deaths of many." Vegeta's brow knit. "I'd give my life to make sure that such darkness never descends upon the Universe like that again."

"Your home world, was it really destroyed by a being named Frieza?" Worf asked the Saiyan now seated at an angle to himself.

"Yes, that too is true. I was away at the time it happened on diplomacy. When I got to their planet to speak of a treaty, they stated that my home had been destroyed by Frieza. I raced back as fast as I could, only to find the rubble of my planet to greet me. It took years of battle and preparation before I was finally ready to start searching the far reaches of the Universe for the other Saiyans that may still be out there waiting to return home. I believe there to be at least one or two on Earth." Vegeta stated as he finally took a drink of water.

Vegeta turned and looked at him. "You know that I am one of the few original survivors though, don't you?" The gaze narrowed lightly before he nodded. "Yes, you already know. If I'm not mistaken, Data told you and the others that were on the mission with us to the Typhon Expanse. Data collected the information from the pods."

With a glance over toward the door, Vegeta lifted his head a bit. "You might as well come in, I know you're there."

Worf looked over at Vegeta for a moment and when he stated that, he turned to see the others enter, including Data. For a moment the Saiyan looked toward Data and then finally nodded. When each had taken a seat, Vegeta stood up and moved back to a window, his arms crossing again. With a dip of the head, he turned his head ever so slightly back. "Face it, you want to know more, especially since that mission. Your curiosity has your interest piqued."

"You cannot blame us." Deanna stated in a more empathetic manner. "Your race is new, its customs strange to us. We hear about the Saiyans from you, but we have not yet stepped foot on your planet to observe."

Vegeta again turned to the window as the warrior contemplated what was being stated. He had to hold them off though for a little bit more time. However his Codes of Honor forbid him from lying and they had no idea why they were being stalled. There seemed a moment of silence as the Warrior King seemed to stare off into the depths of space. "We need only a couple more weeks. We Saiyans are working on a gift of peace for the Federation and we just need a couple more weeks to finish the task. Then you will see my home, my people, as they are in times of peace. If you will grant us that Captain, I have a feeling that you will not be disappointed."

Captain Picard leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressing together. "We do not understand, why a gift of peace to the Federation?"

"Though Starfleet has designated the Typhon Expanse too dangerous, your ships have stayed from that sector of space. You have seen some of the others reactions, thinking they could easily overpower. As I have stated a few days back, we have kept watch on your ships around the Expanse. My Code of Honor demands that I give equal repayment for your respect of my home and my people." Vegeta stated as he quietly moved back to take a seat once more.

Worf tilted his head ever so slightly as he watched the Saiyan. "Then you are a true warrior, even by Klingon standards."

Vegeta looked over at the warrior that sat next to him. "A true warrior, yes, but also so much more. I am the leader of Universal Warriors."

"Universal Warriors? I don't believe I understand, Your Highness." Commander Riker stated a bit confused.

Vegeta's gaze narrowed lightly. "To understand further, I will need a place that can keep up with the explanation in visual capacity. With your technologies, I would assume that you have something like that."

"Yes, a holodeck can be used for such a thing like that." The Captain stated and soon they were underway to the suggested room.

Vegeta entered into the room, and then looked back as he stood in the center of the room, turning to face the small amount of crew with him. "Computer, display a condensed version of the Federation, Cardassian, Klingon, Romulan, and other areas within reach of the Federation." As he gave the command, the room would give the colored maps of each realm suggested.

The crew looked around then at each other. "This is a major security risk." Picard stated.

"You wanted to understand, so listen before you judge so quickly. The intentions of this display are pure and harmless." The Saiyan stated back. "Besides, I have already known the boundaries of each Realm long ago. There is no risk here."

Deanna nodded. "It is true, Captain. The intentions are for explanation only of what was asked before of him."

"Proceed then, Your Highness." Picard stated with a light nod of the head.

"What you see are boundaries, Realms, Empires. You see rules and races. You see friends, allies, and enemies." Vegeta stated as he turned to point to each one as they were mentioned. "We Saiyans see more. We see a balance that is held in check, evolving in its own pace. Good and evil, weak and strong, yin and yang is represented by each. The Klingons and the Federation are allies and represent a great good. The Cardassians and the Romulans, enemies, and represent a great evil."

"Each time the two encounter each other, the more they learn, the more neutral they become, then eventually good reigns. As the alliances of good are forged, so too are the alliances of evil. When one of these grow larger than the other, it throws it out of balance. Each time it is usually the alliances of evil that forge quicker than the good. This evil then becomes what is called a Universal threat as they begin to branch out of the boundaries, throwing first the sector, then the quadrant, then eventually the Universe out of balance toward its own destruction."

"That is where your race comes in then. To keep the Universe in this balance, you have to not only be aware of what's going on in each place but also the entire galaxy." Riker stated as he watched the evil represented by the Romulans and Cardassians begin to overthrow what would have been the Klingons and the Federation.

"You are correct, Commander." Vegeta stated as he then looked at the Typhon Expanse seeming to be the only area that was not being overthrown. "As this evil spreads, we move to the fading boundaries and combat the forces back into their boundaries. Each Saiyan is capable of a lot of destruction, but also a lot of protective measures as well, ourselves a ground of balance."

As Worf and Data looked about at the explanations, the entirety of the Saiyans' role in the Universe were becoming clear. "So while we are in balance, you are at peace." Data stated in his curious manner, his processors working many times faster than the others. "Have you ever seen what happens when it is thrown out of balance?"

Vegeta's gaze lowered only once before he looked back up. "Yes, I have, and its nothing you want in this galaxy." With a quick turn on the heel to face away, the warrior let out a deep breath.

"What happened?" Picard dared to ask the warrior standing alone in the center of the room.

"Mass genocide of countless races happened. As the races were overthrown the galaxy was destroyed from the imbalance itself, imploding from the inside out. It then is torn apart, making the place a wasteland." Vegeta stated as he turned around. "Watch, observe, don't interfere. Always maintain the Greater Balance. That is our Prime Directive. A first contact with a Saiyan Warrior is extremely rare at best, and meeting the King almost unheard of."

As the crew watched the Saiyan, the weight of what this lone warrior bore seemed to finally start to come to light. Picard turned to the Saiyan. "I have flown on many missions, commanded many fine crews, and was responsible for over a thousand lives. What you are in charge of though, is far greater. You are solely responsible for countless worlds, innumerable lives. The weight you bear on your actions are far greater than anything most, even myself, find hard to fathom. Is there no one else that can help you on the task?"

Vegeta shook his head. "No, there is hardly any other that can even wield the power and strength a Saiyan can. We have evolved into our role, as you will to your's in time."

There was a moment of silence in the holodeck as Vegeta finally had it turn off to the black room with yellow grid lines. Vegeta took the moment to head back to the room, while the others were left to contemplate what was stated. There was nothing more that the warrior could really say on that topic as he let the doors slip closed behind him in a whisper of motion.

Taking a deep breath, he let out a bit of a sigh, pressing his forearm to the wall the fist turned sideways as he looked over to the stars once more. It seemed a never ending task and this was just another step in that task. Pulling off his gloves, the armor, and the top, the warrior now stood with the silence that surrounded him. The coldness from his gaze, lifted if but for a moment, his shoulders lowering just a bit as he settled. Then grabbing a towel, he headed for the confines of a bathroom.

Once he had entered, he closed the door and turned on the water as hot as it would go, stepping inside. The spray careened down hardened muscle, tight as steel bands, coiled and awaiting release. He stared up into the water, closing his eyes as battle after battle played out in his mind. Every thought was consumed by what ifs running in his mind. Giving a light scoff, he snapped up the shampoo.

Doctor Beverly Crusher hit the signal to let Vegeta know that she was there. By that time, the warrior was in his form fitting blue pants and was in the process of tugging on the boots. "Enter." Vegeta's voice called out to her from the other side of the barrier.

As she entered, she looked over at the warrior and stopped as she gazed at him, startled by the sight. What was taut muscle wrapped in toned flesh was marred by an untold amount of scars that ravaged his back and shoulders. When he turned around to face her, she would see the scars wrap to his chest. This was a veteran, a soldier that had seen more than his fair share of combat. It took her off guard for a moment as her gaze finally lifted to see the burning black gaze of his eyes. "I was going to see if you would not mind coming down to sickbay for an exam."

There seemed a moment's pause before the King pulled the blue shirt back on, leaving the armor off. Then he tugged on the white gloves, as he finally straightened up to look at the doctor. "Any particular reason for me to? I'm in good health."

"Its just standard protocol. We should have done this much sooner, but with everything that had happened, it was postponed." Beverly said now snapping back to her usual professional demeanor. To her it seemed surreal to have seen that many scars on one person.

Vegeta nodded once. "I'll walk with you there. I take the Captain at least will be coming? If so, I would appreciate if no others came. They don't need to see what you'll find."

"The Commander may come as well. The two of them and no others besides me, if that's alright. You are right however, it is not really anyone else's concern save for the three of us." Doctor Crusher stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Very well then." Vegeta said and soon they were headed to sickbay.

"You do realize that you are still a mystery to us right? I mean, we try to speak of you and you turn the discussion back to us. That's probably why you've noticed us following you around quite a bit." She said with little hesitation as they walked down the corridors.

Vegeta nodded only once. "I had figured as much." The doors cycled open and then the rest of the staff were cleared from the room, only the three people agreed upon were in the room.

The Captain and Commander knew it now. Every time the Saiyan entered the room, there was a presence of command. It was strong, silent, proud, and yet not arrogant nor ignorant. They looked at each other as the warrior sat up on the table and then removed his gloves and shirt once more. It was hard to look at, even harder to fathom how someone so strong could become so battered in their lifetime.

Beverly took out a tricorder and then began to do a scan as she shook her head. "Captain, all I can say is that the King has been through some serious combat situations. If I didn't run the test on the tricorder just prior to running this exam, I'd say it was a malfunction. It seems that every bone in his body has been broken at one point or another. His ribs were shattered multiple times. Its amazing he's even able to walk. A majority of the breaks seem to have been mended in the field, not in a hospital."

Picard looked to the figure upon the padded table and nodded. Even for him it was hard to fathom how any being could take such a punishment. The Captain seemed to gaze at the warrior with a touch of empathy. "Any way we can mend some of the bones a bit better then?"

"We could probably mend his ribs a bit more. They're old breaks but with our technology, we could get them mended better for sure, if not to where it was as strong as it was before. The problem is, we have to do surgery and mend them that way." Doctor Crusher said with hesitance.

"You are saying you can mend the ribs but with risk with anesthesia right?" Vegeta stated putting it into perspective.

"Yes we could." Beverly answered in a soft tone.

Vegeta looked over to the both of them. Had this have been in a previous era, and had they not upheld their word to him so far, he would not have even considered this. Commander Riker was the one that broke into his thoughts. "You have already saved our lives in the scuffle against the Cardassians. Let us repay the favor to you please."

Vegeta looked over at Picard whom nodded in agreement. "A life for a life. It is our Code as well that demands equal repayment. What is the chance of not waking from this?" He wanted to know all the risk factors before he even agreed to this. If he was fearful at all, it was not showing through the battle hardened gaze.

"There is a small chance of not waking from any anesthesial procedure, ten percent chance at most." She answered in a gentle tone.

Vegeta nodded only once as the Saiyan considered the risks as he gazed to the other two. The warrior looked to the three of them, but realized just like his own people, they stayed away until being given permission. He had to delay them a couple more weeks from going into his Empire. It not going to be too hard though seeing as how a new Enterprise was still in the works about its design, not to mention the building where the Saiyans were already about done. "Very well, proceed." He stated as he laid down upon the table.

"This must be odd for you." Picard stated as the warrior made himself comfortable.

"I'm used to a different method is all, but no, this is not too strange and nothing I have not seen before." Vegeta stated as he waited now.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

_**The Gift**_

Once the warrior was put under a type of sedation, the Doctor took a laser and opened the chest area. As Picard and Riker watched, Doctor Crusher began the tedious work of placing the ribs of the Saiyan into place, knitting them together. It took several hours as the doctor realized the extent of the injuries. "I'm surprised that this warrior was not doubled over in agony with as badly as these ribs are crushed. The shattering seem to be older though, but still quite fragile. A good strike to them and he would have suffered more injury and possibly a punctured lung."

Picard came closer looking to the Saiyan now sound asleep, as he looked over the scarred form and shook his head. "He is a warrior and the leader of such a race. Vegeta must feel that in order to lead effectively, he must bear any and all pain in silence. If that is the case, then this Saiyan must know of his own weakness and have guarded it very closely."

Riker stepped forward as he looked to his Captain. "You mean that he purposely did not speak of his injuries as a matter of self-preservation?"

"You've heard what he has been telling us, Number One. He rules over a vast area, and dare I say even guards this galaxy including us to a point. If he truly is a Universal Warrior then this Saiyan has to protect much more than we can perhaps fathom. Any weakness could invite whatever adversaries are out there to try to overthrow him." Picard watched as the doctor continued mending the ribs.

"It almost seems like we're in a bottle or in a bubble where the Saiyans are the guardians of this galaxy." The Commander said as he tried to make sense of the situation that they found themselves in.

"I would say more like gatekeepers." Beverly stated. "They do not keep all the races here hostage or as prisoners. We can come and go as we please if we wanted to. Should a threat that we can't handle come through, they would be spurred into action would be my guess. It took several hours, and the mending is now complete, though we should try to have him limit his activities for the next few days." Doctor Crusher concluded, sealing the opening, leaving no trace of the incision.

She took off the device used to put the Saiyan under and then sat back, putting her work into the computer. "That was a more serious procedure than even I thought it would be. Now all we have to do is wait for him to wake up."

The Captain and Commander sat down and waited for the first signs of stirring. They did not have long to wait as the warrior's fingers first twitched. There seemed a pause in activity as the warrior would finally snap his eyes open. He looked over seeing only the three there still. "How did it go, Doctor?" Vegeta asked in a quieter voice than was normal.

"It was a success. The ribs are now fused where they should be. I'm glad you allowed me to do this procedure though. If you would have taken another serious hit to your ribs, it would have been your lungs or quite possibly your heart punctured. I don't need to tell you what those consequences would be." She said gently, helping the warrior sit up until he was steady. "You have been out for about twelve hours. However, you need to take it easy for a few days, though I would like to see you rest for a week if at all possible."

Vegeta nodded once more. "I'll do two weeks since that's the timeframe needed and just to make sure that I'm still sturdy as I was before."

With that stated, the warrior pulled on the shirt and gloves and then slid off the table, nearly collapsing at first, but when the Commander and Captain moved to help him, he waved them off. Taking a deep breath, he would lift himself up once more, leaning against the table for a moment before letting it out and then finally stood on his own. Taking a few unsteady steps, he began walking again without issue. "I know its your instinct to help when someone falters but assistance in this moment is not required."

When they returned to the room, the Saiyan gently stretched, testing the limits for now as he took care not to overstretch. With the moment alone, he enjoyed his more stately surroundings as he sat back down on the bed and from his small pack pulled out a journal and with a pen began to write down his experiences. He became lost in his thoughts as his hand scribed them as quickly as they came to mind.

Time seemed to fly over the next few days when Vegeta again reported to the sickbay and it was at that time the other two came back as well. He had enjoyed the respite from people for the time, relaxing more as his alert gaze seemed a bit softer for now as he reported as had been set up. When in there, the doctor ran the tricorder over him again and was simply amazed. "There seems to be no trace of the injuries at all now. I know I did the fusing, but now, it seems that the Saiyan physiology took over and mended it the rest of the way how it should be."

The Commander smiled lightly. "That is good news."

Vegeta heard the signal from his scouter and put it on, the room he noted, going quiet as he tapped the button. "This is Vegeta." The warrior again stated as he listened to the report on the end, then again, the warrior gave a deep and relaxed, lopsided smile. "I knew I could count on you and the crew. You're sure its ready?"

"Yes Sire, the task has been completed as far as we can take it without your supervision. We are ready for inspection upon your return." The other voice indicated over the scouter.

"Very well, I will leave here within the next six hours. Make sure that all unnecessary equipment is removed. Have the Great Hall prepared for a feast. We'll do a mix of Earthen and Native foods. We will be having guests for the big event." Vegeta stated as the three others would start for the door, but then turned around.

Picard, Riker, and Crusher looked at the Saiyan, seeing for the first time, a genuine smile upon the warrior's facial expressions. The black eyes danced with news that delighted him to no end. "What's going on? You seem elated." Crusher asked, her brow knitting in curiosity as she too began to smile.

"You and your crew have six hours to meet at loading dock three. I don't want to spoil the surprise and it is going to be something you will enjoy." Vegeta stated, walking from the room not allowing time for questions.

Picard glanced at them and then nodded. "La Forge, Data, Troi, Worf, get another three people and lets go to docking bay three in six hours. We have just been invited to a grand feast. Pack some dress attire."

After getting the approval from the Chain of Command, they met Vegeta in the docking bay where the warrior put on the scouter and then climbed inside the pod. "Most will not shake hands on Planet Vegeta. It will be the right hand in fist to the heart with a light bow. Do not lower the eyes, that is the customary greeting for our people. After that if they want to shake hands they will. Other than that, you should be fine. Though with ten times Earth's gravity, you may want to put in these inserts to your shoes. It will help with any sort of discomfort that may be felt." Vegeta stated as he got in and the pod door seemed to close.

As soon as the others were in their pods, they had the clearance to depart and were soon underway. After some time of flying, Vegeta tapped on his scouter again. "Welcome to the Typhon Expanse, known as the Saiyan Empire. Enjoy the view, some of these areas have not been touched since the beginning of time."

The crew began to look out of the glass seeing the wondrous pulsar then the exploded nebula, the high spires of the clouds reaching millions of kilometers in height. They passed through a magnetic storm with relative ease, and then finally came to the binary system that served as home for Planet Vegeta, its moon circling the planet as the two suns made a relatively safe place for the planet to orbit.

"Prepare to land ten pods gently." Vegeta stated as he began the landing sequences for his own as the landing crews began to take over the pods as Vegeta's came to a high impact stop. The others landed according to instruction and as each got out, they looked at a land that was new to them. The crimson skies were flecked with whitish yellow clouds and the two suns clearly visible though they were far enough that the heat was about like Earth's own.

The buildings were a bit rounded in shape, futuristic on the outside but when they stepped within the castle itself, they noted the more medieval feel to the strong, large stones that were placed with no mortar between the cracks. It was tall and grand. As they entered a hall Vegeta stopped them and gestured to the rooms on either side. "Choose a room for your stay. I will meet you in the Great Hall when you've settled in for the time. I have a few things I need to see to before dinner. If you wish to look around you may."

The crew glanced to each other and then with the doors cycling open. They could tell that the rough interior look was just that, a look. Picard watched as the Warrior King gracefully took his leave and soon a new armor was given to the King which he changed to and a dual colored cape was fastened to the shoulders, black while his back was turned to the crew and when he turned around once more, it was red. The King had a couple others on his heels as they departed the vast hallway.

Data examined the stonework and turned about. "Captain, architecture like this has not been seen for thousands of years. The most prominent would be the Ancient Egyptians of Earth By not having the mortar, the skill to make each stone flush and fit would take considerable energy if we were to build it. The floors though seem glossed as though the top surface was made into a glass type surface and polished. The skill and technology it would take to duplicate something like this is quite remarkable."

Geordi La Forge nodded as well looking at the doors. "They even carved in the area for the doors to slide in and out of without issue as well. This place may look old and rustic, but the scale of this building, the precision, and technology it takes just to create this hall have not yet been mastered even in our time."

"Though this is just a hallway, it is still very impressive with what they have so far demonstrated. It seems their technology is very well shielded and protected, allowing other races to come without the risk of showing too much technology. It keeps in rather simplistic design while we are advanced enough to know that a great deal is hidden within its very build." Data confirmed as he looked back at the Captain.

"It seems then that we may truly have a surprise for us waiting here to be revealed at the King's time. In the meantime, let us enjoy the company of our host and his people. We are standing on a planet that has not been seen by anyone outside of the Typhon Expanse." Picard stated as he looked to the doors. "Lets get changed and settled in as Vegeta has stated. We are on his world and this is indeed a great honor that as we seen was denied even the Cardassians."

With that the crew parted into different rooms and after half an hour the Saiyans came to knock on the doors. Each one of the crew stepping out to a taller Saiyan, a more cheerful expression on his face. "Hi there, I'm Kakarrot. Its nice to meet everyone." He stated, putting his right fist to his heart and then gave a light bow, not lowering his gaze. He smiled proudly as the crew reciprocated the greeting.

Kakarrot turned on heel and led the crew to the Great Hall where many tables were set up end to end and food filled the entire eighty foot length. He then pulled the seats out for the crew and once they were seated, the guards and servants filed in quietly taking their places, each in uniform but no one yet dished up. When two guards came in everyone stood. Then finally the King entered the room and a collective of voices yelled at once. "Hail, King Vegeta!"

The warrior that had been on their star base was now being greeted as he was, royalty. With an exchange of greeting, the King spread his hands to either side of the table. "My friends, we are accompanied by some of the crew that operated the NCC 1701 - D USS Enterprise. I wish to give them a warm welcome to our home, the home of the mighty Saiyan Race. Let's eat."

As they sat down to eat, the crew could not believe the amount of food that was vanishing at a fast rate. "It seems impossible for them to eat so much." Data stated as he observed the feast.

"Our bodies convert much of the food we eat directly into energy that we can use. They have worked hard on the gift and deserve to eat well after the long couple of months or so." Vegeta stated to them as he too ate a good plateful and went back for more before settling in once more and it was then that he looked up to those that had joined them at the table.

The dining was mixed with laughter, jokes, stories, and tales of battles fought and won. As they dined the crew started to feel more comfortable in the settings. It was cordial but relaxed, each showing respect to the King and the crew. When the meal had finished each one, even the King helped clean up the Great Hall in such efficiency that things were done within a few minutes rather than a few hours. Vegeta nodded lightly and finally summoned the crew around him. "Its finally time. Please follow." He stated and started to walk toward the doors of the Castle.

Once they were outside, Vegeta lifted off as Kakarrot and a few others allowed each of the officers onto their backs as they flew quickly. Once they crested a distant mountain, they set down and when they crested another small hill into a valley, they seen it. Gently resting in an almost cradle like contraption was the Enterprise itself, as if it had just come from the shipyards.

Riker stood in shock and amazement. "It was beyond repairs, destroyed in the battle between us and the Klingon sisters. How?…" He was struck for words, where none found him.

The Captain stood in amazement as well. "This is…absolutely…remarkable." Was all he could say.

Vegeta nodded and began to head down to the craft. "I apologize for keeping you in the dark about this, but as I had said, it was a gift back for the respect that you and Starfleet have given us. Lets go see it."

When they got there, the chief engineer on the project would then approach the King. "We have the warp core again repaired and the casing strengthened so no further breaches should occur until the others catch up. The computer has been uploaded with all the information that had previously been stored and cleaned up to the best standards."

"Excellent work, what of the shields and weapons array?" Vegeta asked as Picard came up to him as with Geordi, Data, and Will. They quietly listened to the conversation between the King and his crew that were building the ship again.

"The shields have been amplified, the phaser array and such have been tested and are good to go. The photon torpedo tubes are still currently empty, but we feel that the crew could get those when they return home." Suugash stated as he pointed them out on the blueprints.

Vegeta nodded and then stood in the hallway. "Computer, please indicate what the warp capabilities are for this ship now?"

The computer came to life in the familiar tone that the crew was used to. "It has a potential of warp nine point eight." The female voice though sounded much clearer, the volume perfected for comfort and ease of use by the crew.

Turning to the Engineer again, he put a hand upon the wall. "What of the strength of the hull? Has it been improved?" Vegeta asked.

"Yes Sire, with the same material we use for our pods. If they can crash down at such rapid pace and not get damaged we felt that was the best material. Also that has been reinforced as well to make sure that in case of impact, its going to take much more to buckle. We tested the saucer section again when it was rebuilt to see if the hull could withstand the same kind of impact again and it can without more than a scratch." Suugash stated as he patted the wall.

Vegeta nodded and proceeded into the living quarters. "Everything has been restored in each of the rooms?"

"As much as we could my King. There were some things that were not able to be salvaged. Those items have been respectfully placed in a corner of each room for the occupants to decide whether or not they want to keep them." There seemed a bit of defeat in the tone when he mentioned the inability to restore all personal items.

"It was enough that as much that did survive was able to be brought back. There are bound to be some losses in a project like this after it was devastated in its crash landing on Veridian Three. You did well with what could be done." Vegeta gave a light grin and then looked to the turbo lift and the black panels in their original look and feel as the Warrior King scrutinized every little thing.

"How are the communications now?" Vegeta asked with little doubt.

"Operational and the ship can now pick up the fainter signals better." The Chief Engineer stated.

As the list was continued, the Commander and Captain both looked at each other. "Captain, this would have taken years to repair in our ports. Are these people so advanced that they can do this in a mere few weeks?"

"Apparently so, Number One. We are looking at a feat that would have been considered impossible with the Federation." Picard stated as he too listened to the rundown of the checklist.

Vegeta turned back to listen to the two speak for a moment before nodding to himself. "Lets go to the bridge. I'm sure they would be eager to see that."

"Sire, that is the only place that is not yet finished. We wanted to take the greatest consideration in that area. We're about to start bringing things in for that." Suugash stated a bit hesitantly.

"Its alright, lets see it anyway, Suugash." Vegeta stated to the person that had taken charge on the ship's rebuild.

"Yes my King." He stated and then led the way to the turbo lift and when they got up to the bridge the carpeting was being laid down carefully. The panels had been redone and the room was lit up. None of the chairs were in place yet but then they watched one Saiyan point a finger and with precision would cut the carpet without even marking the floor beneath it.

"What are the plans?" Vegeta asked as the Captain and his First Officer listened to this part.

"Carpet is being laid in first. Then the baseboard trim will go in. The Security and Helm panels have already been put in place. Once those are in, we'll work on the outside seats and panels then work our way in. The Captain's chair will be last to be put in." Suugash stated.

"When can it be expected to be finished?" The King asked of him.

"Estimated time, within the hour, Sire. Once the Captain's chair is in, this ship will be ready to fly again in all its splendor. Also it should have no issues with the anomalies within the Typhon Expanse to again head out to Federation Space." Suugash commented looking around at the bridge.

"Can we watch the process?" Riker asked the Engineer

"We don't mind if you watched. It is to be given to you and your Captain again after its done." Suugash answered in reply to the Commander's question.

Vegeta stood off to one side and then motioned for the Captain and Commander to also stand to one side while the others brought in the aforementioned update. They came in a single file, each Saiyan quickly securing each area without issue. Then came in the Captain's chair and was carefully placed in the center where it had been. When it had been finished the Saiyans broke out in celebration of a hard work finally complete, laughing and clashing forearms before each would turn to the King and with a right fist to heart and gave a light bow before departing.

"How do you plan to lift it to space?" Picard asked the Saiyan King when they were finally alone with him and the crew.

"It is only a matter of getting the Saiyans together and lifting it. We have enough people to accomplish the task." Vegeta stated with certainty.

"We appreciate your company on a first mission with us after the stop at the star base. It is only fitting for you to join us after all the work you and your people have done to rebuild this ship. Just a question though. How did you get our schematics and blueprints for the ship?" Picard asked the Saiyan King.

"The ship's computer was already active so when the power was restored, we were able to get it from the computer itself. Some are worth communicating with, and this ship is one of them. She should not be treated like that of most other ships." Vegeta stated pushing from the wall as the warrior would move to a control panel. "Computer, please report on any deficiencies still needing to be done except for the photon torpedoes."

"There are no known deficiencies." It responded accordingly.

"If I were you Captain, I would not allow her to be scrapped. There are a lot of memories here, and they have not been lost. She remembers each and every one of them. Treat her with respect and dignity and she will do anything you ask of her and more." The Warrior King replied in thoughtful consideration.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

_**Imposter**_

Picard looked up at the craft resting peacefully within the cradle that was used to hold the ship slightly aloft. Placing a hand upon the hull, the Captain looked to William Riker. "The Saiyan Race seems to be an astounding people. If you look at the advancements in technology, the simple way that it is disguised in plain sight, and the efficiency of the race when working together, its almost frightening, but also awe inspiring."

There was no way the First Officer could even deny the statement. "What do you suppose they want from all this? To have such an undertaking is more than worthy of the respect shown to the Saiyan Empire's boundaries." Riker grew suspicious.

"Sometimes it is best to follow an old cliché Number One. Never look a gift horse in the mouth. Vegeta could have done much more to us and we are now standing on Planet Vegeta's surface. The Science team would have a field day with this planet and the inserts given are working well so we don't even feel the full gravity like they do." Picard only smiled. Though Will could not determine if it was the fact that this was an entirely new sector that had been unexplored. He also had to wonder if it was the fact that they were now getting the Enterprise back.

Worf came up to the Captain looking at the vessel that seemed to dwarf them in size. "Captain, how do you suppose the Saiyans will lift the Enterprise back in to space?"

"With this race's capabilities Mr. Worf, I would not put it past them to be able to lift it up without much issue. If they spent a good month or two on this ship, I do not see them wanting to destroy the hard work put in to its rebuild." Picard stated. "Though It does make me wonder how much information the Saiyans obtained from our records on there from the highest raking information to the base diaries and journals."

It was not long before Data, Crusher, and Deanna came to see the Captain as well as the other crew that had come along. "The King's intentions are pure. He does mean this as a gift back to us without strings." Deanna said with confident certainty. "He has also ordered all information gained from the ship to be kept under extreme secrecy. He will only tell the Captain and First Officer what they know. All others agreed on this too and they vowed to take that information to the grave if needed."

Worf nodded only once. "As a warrior race, if they made a vow to keep that information secret and to only release it to the Captain and the Commander, then they will keep that vow."

"Then the security issue is resolved then." The Captain replied with confidence that the information was kept just that, secret. "If you think about it, they may have been hiding it from the Cardassians as well in defending their boundaries. It has been in very good and capable hands."

At that moment, Vegeta came back with a good fifty other Saiyans and they gathered about. "I think its time for you and your crew to get on the Enterprise. We'll get you back to a star base in Federation space. Your crew is minimal at this moment so we understand the need for assistance until you can get another crew gathered to fully work the Enterprise."

"You mean to board the vessel and work along side us?" The Captain asked of Vegeta.

"No, we plan to use the same method of how we got it here. You'll find out soon enough when we get underway." Vegeta said as he motioned the Saiyans into place as they began to surround the Enterprise and get within the pods, but their doors did not close as they began to throw about energy beams in flattened ribbons that were then caught by the Saiyan on the opposite side much like a sling or a net that would gently cradle the Enterprise.

Picard would motion everyone on to the bridge of the ship and with La Forge working the shields they soon had a stable web of energy and began to lift the Enterprise into the air, slowly at first as each Saiyan, even Vegeta, took care in the lifting. Once they were into space, the Saiyans shifted tactics. The pods lined up behind the Enterprise now, as Vegeta moved to the outside of the Enterprise.

Data followed the activity with interest. "Captain, the energy they are using is much like the shields that we witnessed against the Cardassians. However, sensors now indicate that Vegeta has landed on our hull between the two nacelles about half way up to the saucer section."

"La Forge is there anyway to turn on our engines and get into warp?" The Captain asked his Chief Engineer.

"No Captain, I need at least six to ten people to do that and right now, that is all we have aboard this ship." Geordi would say in response.

"Lets see how these Saiyans intend to move us. Put it up on screen and lets watch." Picard stated and at that moment they seen the massive shield formed behind the Enterprise and Vegeta standing on their hull.

As the warrior then knelt down and once the shield was strengthened enough, the warrior unleashed a blast of energy that began to propel them through space. Up on the top of the warp nacelles were two other Saiyans doing the same exact thing. Once it hit the shield they would move forward, gliding through space with not even the telltale lurching of starting to move. Each one stood in awe of the raw power these warriors held. Once they were at full impulse speed, Vegeta stopped his energy blasts as did the other two, allowing the ship to coast for a time.

It was not long however when the anomalies would show themselves and with the directed guidance of the King, they would steer the Enterprise around the dangers. Vegeta kept a close watch on everything going on, and when he felt the ship begin to slow, he would give another blast of energy, keeping the massive vessel on the move. Once out of the Typhon Expanse, the Saiyans guided the ship to Star Base four where it was docked. Vegeta and the others landed within the docking bay and then looked to the Captain. "We have held up our end of what honor has demanded from us. We wish you safe travels, and who knows, we may cross paths some time."

The Captain looked at the Warrior King and then to the Saiyans that had helped bring the ship to the Star Base and then nodded. "Thank you, and yes, it would be interesting to learn more of your culture when you would allow it. Also the ship will have to be examined for any tampering."

"Understood, but we have not done anything to it save for add a little knowledge of the Typhon Expanse. Other than that, you will find everything almost exactly as you had left. There are some personal items we could not restore, but I suppose it is expected." Vegeta turned to look toward the pods coming in. "Our pods are here, lets go home. Our task here is done." The Saiyan stated as they turned to depart.

"Wait!" Another person called out, his pace hastened by the urgency when he had learned that the Warriors were on the Star Base.

Vegeta stopped, turning ever so slightly as his head dipped, his gaze turning to the side to see whom had stopped his departure. "Who are you and what reason do you have to stall my departure?" The Saiyan's brow furrowed lightly. The other Saiyans also stopped in their process of getting into their pods as well.

"I am Admiral Kirak. I have a request from Starfleet Command, if you will hear it, Your Highness." The Admiral tried to speak as bluntly as the King had to him.

Vegeta gave a simple gesture to the other warriors. As the others took flight toward home, there was one that did not yet leave. "Sire, are you sure its wise to stay here alone amongst these people? You are far from home."

"These people are no threat to me here. Return home, I will be underway soon." Vegeta stated, dismissing the guard. Vegeta turned to the others as the guard departed and then finally to the Admiral. "You were saying about a request from Starfleet Command, Admiral?" Vegeta asked the one that had cried out for him to wait.

"Starfleet wishes to know if you would be interested in taking up status as Ambassador for your people. They find you a curiosity and want to learn more. They also want to know if you would consider taking up a career in the Federation." Kirak stated as he gave a small smile of hopeful agreement.

As Picard listened to the request, the King seemed to be taking the request rather seriously. "I will have to think over the offer carefully. I am not allowed to take any sides in any matters. More discussion will have to follow and if possible I would like Captain Picard to be the one that I discuss this with. I will give my decision by end of day." Vegeta stated carefully, making sure that the Admiral knew that this would take time to deliberate over.

"I'd be honored to serve as a confidant, Vegeta. Admiral if you will excuse us please?" Picard asked of Admiral Kirak. Once the Admiral nodded and stepped aside, Vegeta turned and headed for the quarters with the Captain at his side.

Vegeta waited for the doors to close and then looked at the computers. "Computer, turn off all listening devices in this room." He stated and soon after the computer confirmed the request completed. Vegeta nodded and turned to the Captain. "Something is wrong here."

This caught the Captain's attention. "He's an Admiral of Starfleet. Care to explain, Your Highness?"

Vegeta nodded lightly. "Vegeta is fine while in here. However the energy from him is off. Its darker, more ominous. He's hiding a very dark secret and I doubt he's actually from Starfleet Command. If I could request just a contact with Starfleet, I'll know if my suspicions are correct."

Nodding briefly, the Captain turned to the Computer and as he contacted Starfleet Command, Vegeta stood in the background, his gaze to the side as if staring at the wall. The Captain opened with a more brisk tone. "Sir, I'm calling to ask if you had sent a request with an Admiral Kirak, Sir. I want to verify that the command was actually given."

"I know of no such requests nor person, Captain. Please proceed with caution with this person until we find out who this imposter is." The person stated with grave concern.

When the transmissions were finished, the Captain turned back to the Saiyan that now had a very somber expression. "Then who is it we are dealing with?" Picard asked of the Saiyan King realizing the warrior's expression had turned rather grim.

Vegeta merely glanced back over to the Captain. "I don't know, but I intend to find out. Someone with that dark of energy cannot mean good news. Offering a position of Ambassador that quickly also arose suspicion. I will have to decline both offers from him, if he won't give me more information."

Captain Picard would tap the badge on his chest summoning for Will, Worf, and Data. After they answered, the warrior turned toward the door and then narrowed his gaze lightly. "Are you certain that this impostor is in fact up to no good, Vegeta?"

Vegeta nodded once and with barely a dip in the head. "I would bet my life on it, Captain. The question now, is what are his plans and why is he here offering me a position or two that he clearly has no authority to give?"

The door cycled open as the three that had been summoned came in. They stood briefly before seating around the table and Vegeta again looked to the side almost as if he were looking beyond it now. This caught the Captain's attention as he observed this behavior from the warrior. It had been the first time that the crew had even seen this from the King. "What would this person gain from being here on the Federation star base?"

There seemed a moment of silence as the warrior turned his head again, his gaze seeming to narrow once more. "He gains a war."

"A war? Why would anyone want a war?" The Commander asked with now a knitting brow.

"If a war broke out in this quadrant, it would create an imbalance, it also means that this quadrant gets thrown in to turmoil. You think that it would be an enemy of the Federation and possibly blame the attack on those that may have had nothing to do with this impostor. The enemies take offense, and war is waged. It decimates a good portion of this quadrant without so much as a well placed attack." This time the Saiyan turned and walked toward a wall, focusing now as if staring right through the bulkhead.

"Inquiry, Vegeta?" Data asked, also noting the King's odd behavior as did Riker and Worf.

Vegeta did not turn back around, but instead quietly turned his head as if not only listening to Data and the others, but also keeping his attention focused on that wall in front of him. "Yes, Data?"

"You seem rather transfixed on that wall when there appears to be nothing there. May I ask what has grabbed your attention?" Data asked with that tinged curiosity on his voice.

"Its not the wall, it's much more complex than that, and lets just say that the 'Admiral' is going to places that is of high risk if an attack were to take place." Vegeta then turned his head lightly.

"You could just throw up a shield like you and your people did with the Cardassians couldn't you?" Captain Picard asked as if weighing the risks of confronting this impostor head on.

"To a degree, I can put up a ki shield that could protect those around me or I can make it surround whatever weapon he plans on using and contain the effects. Either way, we will have to move soon." Vegeta stated as he turned back to face the other four in the room with him.

Looking at each other, the crew debated whether they should go or not. Either way, it looked as if the King was starting to become a bit anxious. As the Captain and the other three decided to check this out or not, Vegeta only narrowed his gaze. "Take your time Captain, I'll handle this if I must alone." Vegeta lightly scoffed and quickly exited the room, the door swishing behind him as he departed in a hurry.

In the hallway the warrior barely seemed to even take notice of those that he passed. With a steady, but quick pace, he covered ground much more quickly than initially presumed. The King came upon the impostor as he dipped his head and began to overhear a conversation. As Vegeta listened, he quietly took a recording device out, and began to record what was being said.

"This is the perfect time to strike Sir. If we strike now we would be able to blame it on the Romulans and when those two are done obliterating themselves, both would be ours for the taking." The person thought to be an Admiral did not know that the warrior was listening.

"Make sure they cannot link it back to the Cardassians and the Ferengi. I'm sure the destruction of a Federation Star Base should start the war. Proceed as planned, and make sure not to be caught. Otherwise I will deny any of this." The transmission cut off and Vegeta pulled away from the wall, moving to another part where he was sure that the man was pass.

As the disguised Cardassian looked around, he headed toward what would be the command center of the base. However, three meters from the door, the man heard something, turning around to see where the sound came from. Was it something that had just dropped? Did something fall to the floor? He did not know but his eyes darted about in a troubled manner. "Who's there?"

Vegeta did not yet move. "It's a bit risky trying to destroy this base isn't it? After all, you have one person here that could easily take you out." The Saiyan stated as he stepped into the light now in full view of the impostor. "Its quite the daunting undertaking if you think I would let you start a war that could throw this entire galaxy off balance. Lets face it. The Federation would love to hear your plans."

Kirak looked at the warrior and nearly laughed. When he seen the smaller size and stature, he could not help but to wonder how this person was going to stop him. "You are unarmed, and your size is less than impressive."

"I don't think you heard about the Cardassian ships trying to enter in to the Saiyan Empire. If you had, you would know who I am." Vegeta stated, not even giving off the slightest indication of weakness.

The Cardassian glared at the warrior and tried to dart past the lone soldier. Vegeta waited for him to get beside him and then fired off five ki bands, restraining the impostor. As the man struggled, the warrior only watched him. Had the warrior have not stopped him, it was almost sure that he would have made it in to the room and taken the base hostage before blowing it up. "What's in the case?" Vegeta asked with little regard to the man's comfort.

"Why don't you open it up and find out, then you and your race that will be blamed for destroying this base." The impostor stated still struggling to get out of his sudden confinements. "Better yet its on a timer anyway and there is no way, any human can get it far enough away by now to allow it to explode harmlessly."

"It's a good thing I'm not human then isn't it?" Vegeta gave a light grin,. "Tell your leader that his plan failed. I have also done a sweep of the base. The other devices have also been disposed of." Vegeta said as he glanced toward a couple people running to their location.

Security glanced between the both of them and then aimed the phasers. The impostor only struggled a bit more, calling out to the team. "That crazy person is trying to destroy the star base. I want him arrested immediately."

Just as they were about to, Vegeta stepped back and furrowed his brow. In what seemed like a disappearing move, he would flicker into the loading dock and surrounding himself with a ki shield, was soon be far enough away to allow the bomb to detonate harmlessly in space. However there seemed no sign of the Saiyan, the blast's energy buffeting the base.

"Vegeta." Riker and the others seemed to say at once as they watched the explosion in the distance. They raced to the command center where the man stood surrounded by security. The Captain stepping forward. "What happened?"

"That Saiyan tried to blow us up." The impostor stated with little hesitation as the team tried to get him down from the bindings. However the energy soon faded and left the man now on the floor. "The Saiyan had a case in his hand and was trying to get to the Command Center. I stopped him and when Security came, he just vanished."

"That explosion…" Will turned to the Captain before turning back to the impostor. "You fool, the only one you may have started a war with was the Saiyan Empire. If they heard about the King's death, your entire race could possibly be wiped out!"

"It…won't happen." A familiar voice stated before Data would help the tattered Saiyan to his feet. "It will take more than that to kill a Saiyan. I should order that the Cardassian army be annihilated for your arrogance and ignorance." Vegeta found his footing again as the Security watched the warrior.

Vegeta neared the Cardassian soldier. "It won't happen because I'm not like you. Do not think this an act of mercy." Vegeta scoffed and then ripped the top of the uniform off the other. "You are not fit to wear such a uniform. Security, take him to the brig." Turning back to the Cardassian, he would narrow his eyes. "The Federation will deal with your punishment. Who better to deal your reprimand than the very people you were trying to kill."

"No! You can't do this! This cannot be allowed to happen! Vegeta, please, I beg mercy!" The Cardassian looked at the warrior with frightened pleading eyes.

Picard and Riker both turned back to the warrior. Vegeta seemed to heave a deep breath. "That is not mine to give." Vegeta stated then walked from the area, returning to a place where he could find rest.

Doctor Crusher met him at the room to check him over. "Other than a few scrapes and bruises, you are otherwise untouched." She stated putting her medical analysis into the computer. "However your strength seems to be weakened."

"We may be Saiyans, doctor, but we are still mortal. Between bringing the Enterprise here and that explosion, it has depleted a lot of my strength, but I still have enough energy to do the necessities." Vegeta stated as the doctor got some water for the warrior.

"So your abilities are not inexhaustible as everyone thinks. How do you fuel your energy?" The doctor asked with curiosity.

"Just like humans, we eat. Thank you for the water." He took the glass of water that was offered and allowed it to quench his thirst. He gazed to the door as the now familiar group came in, looking to the Saiyan, the Captain looking to Beverly.

Picard looked to the scuffed warrior. "We thought you had been killed in that explosion."

Doctor Crusher looked over at the others. "Other than being a bit scraped and bruised he's fine. He does need rest though to recover his energy and given the exertion of late, its understandable."

The Commander looked at Vegeta, noting the fact that the warrior did look a bit tired. "If its alright, I'll just have a private conversation with Vegeta." It was not long before the others nodded and departed the room save for the Commander. Once they had parted, Will turned to the warrior. "We had thought you were killed in that explosion."

Vegeta only listened to the Commander as the warrior took another sip of the water and then ordered a couple dishes from the replicator, passing one to Riker as he took the other. "As I had stated before, it takes more than that to kill a Saiyan. I have fought much tougher opponents than that blast." With that stated, the warrior picked up a fork and then began to eat once more.

Will gave a light nod and then leaned back in the chair. "You don't have to act tough around me, Vegeta. I know your race is strong, but you don't have to prove it to us."

Vegeta growled lightly. "I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone. If that had happened, what do you think could have been the result?"

Riker looked at the warrior and then took a moment to consider just what would have occurred if the attack had succeeded. "The entire quadrant would have been under war."

"The war may have thrown it out of balance, and I don't have to repeat what that means about Saiyans being involved." Vegeta stated, pausing only long enough to speak and then went back to eating. The warrior finished the plate and then looked toward the bed, as if longing for it. "I should find out who is behind this person. Something just is not right."

Commander Riker raised a brow, leaning forward a little upon the table. "What do you mean something is not right?"

Vegeta nodded, his brow knitting in thought. "Think about it. The Cardassians much rather protect their own sector of the quadrant. As much as they despise the Federation, they do not often engage in combat unless provoked."

"Then their trying to get in to the Typhon Expanse and then trying to throw this quadrant in to war would be out of character. I see what you mean by it being strange. Who or what do you think could be behind all this?" Will was now starting to put things together.

Vegeta looked up lightly to Riker and shook his head. "I don't know, but for now, my hands are tied. However we must find out what is going on. I would think that you and the rest of the crew are going to be departing on a mission soon?"

The Commander nodded. "The ship has been found to be clean, as you had stated, with only the added information of the Typhon Expanse. We're set to head out at 0800 hours. We should be skirting about the Romulan Neutral Zone and the Klingon Empire. What are your plans?"

Vegeta looked out the window and then stood up, headed for it. "I will be headed home. For now my people and I are not needed. I could use a good rest and train some more."

Riker nodded and though there was no departing party down in the docking bay, Vegeta soon left. His pod careened through the void of space, slipping back into the enigmatic space of the Typhon Expanse. The Commander headed back to the others and it was then that he filled the Captain and the others in on the conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

_**The Exchange**_

A hand slammed down on the alarm as the person rolled over in the bed. It was time to get up. As the man roused from his slumber, the Captain got into uniform and then gathering some personal things, he headed for the ship. As he boarded the Enterprise again, he looked about the bridge. The Saiyans had done a remarkable job in the restoration of the vessel.

He was soon be joined by the Commander, Deanna, Doctor Crusher, and Data along with a handful of others. Picard sat down in the Captain's chair, giving the coordinates of where they were being sent. There was a creeping of exhilaration that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Take us out Mister Data. Lets find out what she can do now. Set coordinates to the Romulan Neutral Zone."

"Aye Captain. Setting coordinates to the Romulan Neutral Zone." Data repeated in confirmation of the order given.

"Engage." Picard stated with a gesture of the hand as if pointing forward in a casual manner.

The moment they were underway, the crew began to notice a vast difference. The ship seemed much more stable. Now that the massive vessel was infused with Saiyan technology, it seemed that the ship was stronger, faster. Geordi could only smile as he began to press the ship to what would have been its limits only to find that they could now go past that without issue.

"Steady as she goes." La Forge whispered under his breath. Everything worked exactly as it had before but whatever kinks were in the system, seemed to have been resolved. It was not long before the Captain would join him and he nodded. "Good morning Captain." The Chief Engineer would say in a tone of relief.

"Good morning Mister La Forge. How are things operating down here?" Picard asked, listening to the softer hum of the engines.

"I was right Captain. The Saiyans are far more advanced than even I had thought. This ship is cruising along at warp nine point six and not a tremor to be felt. This could have threatened to tear the ship apart before." Geordi reported with a tug of a smile at his lips.

"From what the Commander was saying, the Saiyans have returned back to their home. It is an almost feeling of comfort that there is a race out there that acts more like a gatekeeper." Picard stated with confidence. "Anyway, we have a mission at hand. We have to be ready to engage the Romulans should they prove to be a threat."

"Aye Captain, I'll have her ready to go on a moment's notice." Geordi stated with that added confidence.

With a nod the Captain would head to the turbo lift and would meet the others in a briefing room. As the others got there, the Captain took the head of the table. Then Riker, Worf, Data, Troi, La Forge, and Crusher would come in. As they seated, they would look at the Captain. It did not need to be said, but there was an excitement aboard the ship that had not been felt since they had first been assigned to the Enterprise D.

"Lets open with thoughts first. We know that the Saiyans have rebuilt the ship to a higher standard. Reports on anything good or bad with the ship so far?" Captain Picard asked the crew.

Doctor Crusher would only tip her head lightly. "It seems that the technology for sickbay has been improved upon. Other than that, there's been no difference."

Deanna leaned forward a moment. "I felt a sort of pride of accomplishment from the Saiyans as they helped us bring the Enterprise back into Federation space. Though we have never encountered this elusive race before, they did have a strong sense of honor about them."

Worf gave a curt nod as well. "Our holding cells seemed to have been refitted with their material. I have shot a phaser at it at full power and it did not even scratch it. If we ever have to hold anything in there, its safe to say they will not be escaping the brig."

Geordi was next to put in his information. "What they said was true. They stated that the ship would now be faster and stronger. The shields have been vastly improved and should take hits without much issue. Warp speeds seem no longer an issue either. Whatever they used from their technology, lets just hope we can repair it. Other than that, everything has been greatly enhanced."

Data seemed to be taking in the information through his processors without much issue. "I have run a Level One Diagnostics on the ship and everything seems to be in working order. I have also taken the privilege of learning more of the Typhon Expanse from what they had put in. It seems there are several races that call that place home. However, it seems the Saiyans know of other races well beyond our Galaxy."

"Overall I think the Saiyans are a legitimate people. I think we should try to make allies with them if possible. We know they are Universal Warriors, but maybe we can do an Exchange program with them like we had done with the Klingons and other races. There may be a lot more we can learn from them." Commander Riker included in on the report.

The Captain nodded lightly. "This will be dually noted. After the mission we'll see if we can contact the Saiyans again and arrange another meeting. We have to contact Vegeta to arrange such an event. In the meantime, we may be the strongest ship in our quadrant next to those warriors."

There came a moment of silence at first before Deanna again spoke up. "Vegeta seems to be perplexed about the recent events that had taken place with the Cardassians. However when he returned, he was exhausted. His power is finite and we must remember that he is still mortal like we are."

Picard nodded in agreement. "Indeed, just because he is very powerful does not mean that his strength is inexhaustible. We must only call on the Saiyans if there is a true need for their assistance. As for the Cardassians, they are acting a bit out of character. I can understand his perplexed feelings. I have this ship to consider while he has entire planets to take into account, if not galaxies."

"Now about this mission. When we get to the Neutral Zone, we are expected to observe and note anything that may be strange in their activities, but we are not to enter unless we have to. After that we go to make contact with the Klingons to see if there is anything that they need since their civil war has started. We are not to take sides in that matter." Picard commented with little doubt. After having conversation with the rest of the Senior Officers, they dismissed and headed back to their respective designations.

The Commander watched out of the viewing screen and waited, but Riker could not stop thinking about what Vegeta had said. "Do you really think that someone or something could be making the Cardassians act out of character Captain?"

"It seems that Vegeta does from what you have stated. We have yet to know their full capabilities. An exchange program may well be in order if we are to learn more about them, Number One." Jean-Luc stated with thoughtful consideration. "Lets focus on this task at hand though first."

Once they got to the Neutral Zone, they reduced speed down to Impulse power and began to patrol the borders. There seemed to be nothing going on save for the Romulans doing their own patrols as well. The Enterprise went to Yellow Alert and then raised their shields. It was almost immediate that the Romulans would uncloak their vessel and then hailed the Enterprise.

The Captain aboard the vessel only stood up and nodded. "It is good to see the Enterprise back. We thought it had been destroyed in the battle at Veridian Three. Would you care to explain how it is still in commission after the Klingon sisters took it out by Warp Core breach?"

Picard stood as well and kept his hands at his sides, relaxed in posture. "It seems that we have made friends in a place we thought to be void of life or even impossible to hold life. The rebuild was done as a gift in response to our respecting their territory, much as we do your own. All other information about it has been kept under tight security."

The Romulans eyed Picard with deep scrutiny. "We have tried to go into the Typhon Expanse and have never been successful. We plan on trying again soon."

There was a tense moment of silence before the other party nodded in acceptance. "Very well, but what brings you to the Neutral Zone?"

"We are on a mission of observation, nothing more. You know the Enterprise has been deemed an exploration ship, not a battle ship. In the meantime, we should set some time aside and meet. Maybe we can work out a couple kinks in the treaty and truly resolve our differences." Captain Picard stated, offering a friendly invitation.

"Perhaps another time Captain Picard. Right now we are trying to find out why the Cardassians have been trying to infiltrate our borders." The other stated with a touch of agitation on his voice.

"We were wondering that same thing as well. Our mutual cooperation may lead us to an answer at least. The Federation has also been infiltrated and same with the Typhon Expanse. However both areas have driven them off. Perhaps we could be of some assistance." Picard added with full intention of peaceful interactions.

The other seemed to deliberate on that. "I will have to speak with the Imperial Romulan Senate to clear this. It may take a week before we can actually have the answer."

"Very well, we have other obligations we need to attend as well. We will check back in a week to see if there's an answer to it. However, time may be crucial if we do not want a war to break out again. We have come far in a year and I would hope our peace to continue." Picard stated before they ended communications and began to part their separate ways.

As they came about to head toward the Klingon Empire, Picard had to wonder how the Saiyans took to the Romulans coming into their area. As he understood it, the Expanse itself was keeping the Romulans at bay so far. He had to wonder however what could happen if a shuttle craft went into the Expanse. Would the Saiyans know of it? Would they react in a hostile manner? He doubted it. The King did not seem the type that instigated a fight unless he had good reason to. Either way, it was out of the Federations hands at this moment in time.

Commander Riker stared over toward his Captain. "I have to wonder though, if the Saiyans are specifically keeping an eye on us humans. He seemed not only well versed in our language but also our customs for the most part."

"If they are, then we have been under very good protection and not have even known of it. Vegeta did seem very competent in our customs, but he did say that he had observed this galaxy for some time." Jean-Luc stated with little doubt. "Number One, you have the bridge." He stated before motioning for Deanna to follow.

Their attention focused now on the Klingons as the Enterprise cruised through space with little more than a whisper. Deanna only turned to the Captain as they both went to the Captain's Ready Room. "It seems the ship is flooded with thoughts about Vegeta and his people Captain. There's a conversation about wanting to have one aboard with us after the King had single-handedly saved the Star Base."

"It does seem to be all that has been spoken of. Since their technology is infused with the Enterprise, perhaps it would not be a bad idea. They can teach us how to operate it more efficiently and also repair it if anything happens. I'll make the calls, but it will ultimately be up to the Saiyans if they want to proceed with it or not." Picard said taking it into consideration.

Once Deanna was out of the room, the Captain leaned back. Had the Saiyans not come to the Star Base near the Utopia Planitia Shipyards, they may have never even known of the powerful race. Reaching forward, he brought up the computer and called for the Starfleet Command. He was not sure what he was to say, but he knew that the crew may feel safer until this situation had blown over. The moment an older person appeared on the screen, Picard leaned forward. "Admiral, I have a rather unusual request."

"We heard about the situation on Star Base Four. I'm glad that everyone is alright and that the impostor was caught in time." The Admiral stated with a touch of relief on his voice. "What is your request Captain?"

"I was informed by my Councilor that the crew may feel safer if we allowed one or two Saiyans to come aboard the Enterprise. If they did, I would not mind them being in Officer status with their skill and knowledge that they have proven to possess. I have personally spoken with the King and they have a very similar but much more strict policy than even our Prime Directive of not interfering." Captain Picard stated with no hesitation.

"There are things on that ship that are classified. What threat could they pose if they gained that information?" Admiral Thompson asked with concern.

"They have not said a word and they were the ones that rebuilt the Enterprise and even improved upon it. Our mission after all is to seek out new life and new civilizations. Well, we certainly found that, and may have found even more than realized. On top of that, they may need to operate in Federation space if they are to maintain balance In our quadrant and even our galaxy. To make a long story short, they may be of assistance in finding out what is behind the odd behavior of the Cardassians." The Captain said with confidence. "If you grant this request, I ask permission to make the Saiyan being made a Lieutenant Commander or even Commander. After the mission, perhaps making one as Ambassador."

"These times are unusual times. I will grant the request under one condition Captain. I get to meet this Saiyan in person." Thompson stated with a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"It is agreed, if one of these Saiyans agree to it as well. Captain Picard out." He said turning off the computer link. Leaning back in his seat the Captain seemed to relax briefly only to get the update that they were nearing the Klingon Empire.

They did not need to wait as the Captain discovered that the Klingons had cancelled their meeting. With that, the Captain nodded and then looked over toward the console near the Commander. "It seems they have left one of their communications devices. I have to wonder what the range is on these things." The Captain mused over it lightly then would put it on, standing as he tapped the button. "This is Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise to King Vegeta."

No sooner had the Captain finished stating it than a familiar voice came in over the earpiece with perfect clarity. "This is Vegeta." It was all the Captain got in return, a common response from what the Captain gathered after hearing how the King had answered it quite a few times.

"We would like to make a request to have a Saiyan come aboard the Enterprise on the mission to find out why the Cardassians are acting so strangely. Do you know of any willing to fill that request?" Picard asked.

There seemed a moment of silence on the earpiece for several minutes before the King's voice again broke the silence. "Come to the border of the Typhon Expanse. There will be a group of five pods to greet your arrival."

"Thank you Your Highness. We will meet you there." The Captain then tapped the button again and took it off. "That is a remarkable piece of technology, perfect clarity. Data, set a course to the Typhon Expanse. We are going to be meeting four Saiyan pods and maybe one of them will come aboard for this mission."

There seemed to be a smile that would creep upon Worf's usually stern expression. "It would be nice to have another warrior aboard, Captain. I have been feeling a bit out of place being the only one."

"So noted, Mister Worf. Engage." The Captain gave his order and soon they were again underway.

As they flew through space the Saiyans would hold a meeting of their own. Vegeta sat listening to the concerns of the people as he gave a light furrow of the brow. The main concern being who would take the lead when Vegeta went aboard the Enterprise on the Exchange program. Kadeesh would be the first to voice such a concern, the others soon following suit. The Saiyan King raised his hand and stood up. "I know all of you are worried about who is going to be in charge. Do not forget, my father had two sons, myself and Tarble. I will only board if the Enterprise agrees to go to the planet he resides so I can send him immediately home. I'm not foolish enough to leave the Empire without a leader in place."

That stated, Vegeta would take a pod and then three others would go with him. Karn, Caulis, and Kadeesh would all go with. Soon they would lift off to meet the starship currently underway. However their pods were much faster, making it easy to come to the designated time and place to meet the ship. Vegeta would have one extra pod for the person that would take up the offer to live on Planet Vegeta for the time that he was aboard the Enterprise.

Once the pods stopped at the border of the Saiyan Empire, Vegeta and the other three would wait, each of them staring out to the darkness. Vegeta finally tapped on his scouter after about an hour. "The Enterprise is an hour away. Be ready to board when they permit it. We will be landing in the shuttle bay three, and then they will meet us accordingly. Remember, their culture is very different."

The moment the Enterprise was there, the warriors were on standby when the shuttle bay opened and they landed their pods within. The moment the hatches opened, Vegeta stepped out and then the other three would come behind him in an Honor Guard formation. The Captain greeted them with Worf, Riker, Deanna, and Data. Vegeta looked to the others and then finally to the Captain. "I have to ask before anything further is agreed upon. Are you willing to head to the Beta Quadrant so I can have my brother return to our home?"

Commander Riker tipped his head lightly. "Why did you want your brother to return home?"

"Its simple Commander. We are an Empire and he is the next heir to the throne. If we are to do this exchange program, then the proper protocol on my home world to have him stand in my place until my return. Whoever is staying in place of this exchange will be serving as an adviser to my brother."

The Captain nodded lightly. "I think that can be arranged Vegeta. May I ask who your brother is?"

"His name is Tarble, and don't worry about coordinates. I know his energy. I can sense it with greater accuracy than perhaps any coordinate could give. Of course I know already that you will track the path with your navigations systems." Vegeta stated as he turned to the other Saiyans. "May I ask who will be staying on Planet Vegeta, serving in that role?"

"I will be, if you would like me to." Will spoke up again. "The Saiyan staying aboard would be filling in my position as Commander and First Officer, second only to the Captain."

Vegeta nodded lightly. "Agreed. I do stay in contact with my people so do not be surprised, Commander. " Then turning to the others, Vegeta again spoke. "I expect the Commander to be treated with the same respect as you would give any Adviser of mine. He's not yet familiar with our Code of Honor yet, so don't expect perfection. Anyone that harms him will have to answer to me when I return. Understood?"

"Yes Sire." They stated in unison and then Vegeta stuck an arm straight out stopping the Commander briefly. "Remember the Saiyans are Universal Warriors. You will hear of many things from talks of peace with some, to going to war with others. You must ask yourself in each situation if it will effect the survival of the Universe before advising any Saiyan to step into any role of combat. They will listen to you if you advise wisely."

The Commander looked down at the King and noted the amount of trust the Saiyan was placing with him. "Any words of advice before I get back to the planet?"

"Sometimes, it is the adviser that speaks for the King. Here you handle a ship. On my home, you will be handling situations that may effect more than just the planet. The others will tell you if they feel it a good idea or not. Listen to them. They are not slaves and they are not treated as subordinates. They follow because they feel they can trust the King and his advisers. They are willing to put their very lives on the line at the first word. If you tell them to go into combat, make sure that it follows our Code of Honor. I have always made it a rule that I will not ask them to do anything I would not be willing to do myself." Vegeta stated as the Saiyan looked up at the Commander.

Commander Riker would raise a brow. "You really handle that much responsibility?"

The King only nodded briefly. "More than most will ever know Commander and the Adviser must know how to act as a bit of a filter, but never hold anything back from my brother. If a situation calls for another opinion, contact me on the scouter. Another thing, your quarters have already been set up along with some native clothing that should fit. Our uniforms stretch to about any size while providing protection and comfort, including the armor."

Commander Riker would only look to the King briefly and then to the other Saiyans. "I thought it would be about the same amount of responsibility on your world as it would have been here on this ship but only to the size of one planet.'

"It will be a bit of a culture shock Commander. However I would not have accepted you taking the position if I thought you would do poorly. Your Captain has every trust in you and he seems to be a good judge of character. Now, it has taken long enough. Kadeesh, Karn, and Caulis will fill you in to protocols on the way back to the planet. Listen to them and they will help you blend in to the Saiyan race easier." Vegeta stated and gestured to the pod that was awaiting him. "Remember, you will be second in command, only to that of the King, which is myself, until my brother arrives, then only to him. Until our paths cross again, Commander."

"Until our paths cross again, Sire." Commander Riker stated and then the four of them got in their pods and then took off.

Vegeta lingered only momentarily until the bay doors had closed and then turned to the Captain. Picard only looked to the Saiyan momentarily before giving a light smile. "You would make a fine Federation Officer if you ever decided to take up that role, Vegeta. I have always called my Command, Number One, but if you don't mind, I would like to call you by name."

Turning lightly, Vegeta nodded. "I don't expect to be treated any differently than any other aboard your ship, Captain. During this exchange, I am at your request."

Captain Picard could not believe how easily the Saiyan seemed to already be adjusting. "I value everyone's opinion, Vegeta, but your judgment is what I will be relying on most often. Lets go get your brother so that your home is secure. Before you report to the bridge however, my Security officer, Lieutenant Worf will be showing you to your quarters. You should have a uniform ready as well. Change in to that before reporting."

"Aye Captain." Vegeta stated and then turned to Worf as the Warrior King walked with the Klingon, side by side.

In the pods racing back to the Saiyan world, Kadeesh would begin to speak of the Code of Honor. "Sir it is imperative that the Code be followed at all times. Do you know of it?"

"I know there is a Code of Honor, but I don't know what all it entails." The Commander stated.

"The rules are simple, Sir. To fight a battle, the opponent must be of equal or greater strength. Lies are not permitted, but omitting things only from the enemy is. If your life is spared, then you must repay the act by sparing the same person's should it ever come to that. The females of the species are treated with polite chivalry and are respected. If you make a promise or a vow you will be expected to uphold that promise or vow. If a life must be taken, they must not have their back turned and no unfair advantage is to be present. You heard our King, we do not go into combat unless it is necessary." Kadeesh stated with cold certainty.

"Acknowledged, Kadeesh, thank you. What of protocols?" Riker asked with little hesitation.

"When we arrive on Planet Vegeta, you will be shown your quarters where you will change, then report to the Throne room. When there is no King to seat on the throne, you will take that role. Once Lord Vegeta's brother Tarble arrives, you will yield the throne to him and you will take to standing to his right at all times unless specifically dismissed by him or asking for time for yourself. Even our leaders take a reprieve from duty from time to time. What you do in your own time is your business, unless it brings shame to the Saiyan race or yourself." Karn stated back with little emotion in his tone.

"Sir, until one of the brothers return, we are at your request. You must never show weakness or indecisiveness. If you need to contact Lord Vegeta, just be frank about it, that you must take it into consideration and dismiss yourself. No one will question that and will respect your privacy while you debate it over in your mind or contact Lord Vegeta in the privacy of your quarters. Speaking of which your quarters will be across the hall from the King's own room." Caulis stated right after Karn was finished.

"When we land, you will take the lead position to the Throne Room. We will follow you one pace behind and off to either side. Your quarters are behind the large drapes. We will show you where it is when we get there." Kadeesh stated in fluent continuation with the others.

"This is a lot to remember." Will stated starting to feel the weight of a leadership role on Planet Vegeta. "The King makes it look so easy."

"The King was born being told that he would take the helm of the Empire some day by his father. When our home was destroyed, it was Lord Vegeta that rebuilt our home and began the gathering of Saiyans from the far reaches of the Universe. However being King is a position not many want, even in the Saiyan Empire because it is so much to bear." Caulis stated in understanding.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Vegeta walked briskly alongside Worf, musing over the role of First Officer aboard this vessel. He was certain that no matter what issues arose, he could resolve them quickly. After all, he was used to dealing with warring factions and delicate deliberations. He was also aware of what demands of the number of people aboard the vessel. Their safety had to be the first thing that comes to mind. "What seat am I to take aboard the bridge when I get there and what kinds of protocols am I to be following?"

Worf looked over at the other warrior, knowing this was a person used to running an Empire. "We have 1,017 members on board this vessel. We are a ship of exploration. Nothing must conflict with the Prime Directive of non-interference. There are three rotating shifts. Sometimes they flex and fluctuate as needed. You will be expected to protect the Captain at any given time and take command should he request it. While here, your title is Commander. However it would be good to know your last name."

"My last name is Sama. It is odd that people go by rank and their last names. On my home, they refer to me simply as Lord Vegeta, Sire, or some other title fitting of a King. Its been a while since I have served aboard a ship." Vegeta stated with a tone of certainty.

Once they reached the quarters, Worf entered with him. "Commander, it is alright here to show emotion and weakness from time to time. Humans seem to like when they can help. I have grown rather accustomed to it."

"You too are a warrior, of that I have known. As for showing weakness or emotion, that is to be decided upon yet. On my world, showing a weakness may as well sign a death warrant. It invites the others waiting for a moment to strike an opportunity and they would not hesitate to do so." Vegeta stated and then let out a deep breath. "I will report to the bridge as soon as I have changed."

After Worf had left, Vegeta could almost feel a heavy burden lift from his shoulders. He no longer had to make all of the decisions. However the warrior pulled off his Saiyan clothing and armor and then held up the uniform. He would slip a thin but long string to the zipper and then got into it, pulling the string upward to zip it up. He then would take the string off and pulled on the black shoes and put on the comm badge. Once that was on, Vegeta secured the pips to the collar of the uniform, three in all to show his ranking.

Folding his Saiyan uniform, he glanced at it momentarily, knowing this was not permanent. Then straightening up, he composed himself in front of the mirror briefly. Straightening up, the Saiyan King made sure that everything was in perfect order before walking from the room. Taking a deep breath, he stepped on to the turbo lift and then gave his destination to the computer.

When the doors cycled open again, Vegeta stepped confidently onto the bridge and momentarily took in the setting. He had been here before so it was not something that new to him. However he was now immersed with a different culture. He knew it could take time to get used to their protocols. "Commander Sama reporting for duty as requested, Sir." Vegeta stated as he came to stand at perfect attention, noting the gaze of everyone on the bridge upon him.

"At ease Commander." Picard stated with ease in his voice, noting the rigid manner in protocol. "You are aware of the people here on bridge at this time. Come take a seat to my right."

Once the Saiyan had taken a seat, it seemed that the others would return to their tasks. Taking in the moment, Vegeta glanced lightly about, noting the almost casual state that they worked. Letting out a bit of a breath, he would seem a bit uneasy at first until the Captain nodded. "Lets get your brother."

Vegeta nodded only once. "Turn about thirty degrees to the left and stay on that heading. It should take you to planet Spara where my younger brother is residing."

The Captain nodded. "Make it so, helm and engage."

"Aye Captain." The helmsman stated and soon they were traveling at nearly warp nine.

The Saiyan seemed to settle after about an hour, his fingers tapping on the armrest as the warrior stared out at the space that slipped past. It was then that Captain Picard would stand up and then nodded lightly. "Commander, you're with me to my ready room. Data, you're in charge."

"Aye Captain." Data stated as Vegeta and Picard stood and walked out.

The warrior watched the transition quietly and then followed the Captain to the Ready Room as he had called it. As the door slipped closed behind them the Captain took a seat and then motioned to one for Vegeta to sit in. The Saiyan looked at it and then sat down, his posture seemingly impeccable. "I know this is new for you. You seem a bit uneasy, but I have no doubt you'll do just fine."

"Thank you for the support, Captain. I will adjust given a bit of time. Transitions to other cultures are often trivial at best." Vegeta replied with not the slightest trace of discouragement.

Picard nodded lightly. "This exchange is so that we can learn from each other. You have been a sound ruler now for many years. I know you would have some ideas of making things more efficient."

"Yes Captain, and should I come across any inefficiency, I shall report it accordingly. I do believe that is standard protocol here." Vegeta stated with almost no emotion.

The Captain had to wonder. "On your planet, are you always so uptight? You don't seem like you relax that easily."

Vegeta furrowed a brow lightly. "I don't have time to relax. If I'm not making complex decisions, I'm usually training. We often train to build our fighting strength. When we Saiyans guided the Enterprise back to Federation Space and when I was caught in the explosion of the bomb, my strength increased. it's a secret to our power that is not known and I would rather it be kept that way."

"You are telling me that every time you are in some way weakened, you get stronger?" Picard asked raising a brow, intrigued.

"Yes Captain. We are the living adage of 'what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger'. The more a Saiyan fights, stronger the opponent, the stronger we become. We also have the ability to adapt to about any type of environment making it possible for us to complete our missions as needed."

"Very well Commander, your abilities will be kept secret so long as you feel the need for it to be maintained. I do not see it posing threat to any of the other crew or the ship. If you decide to tell the others, that will be at your discretion." Picard leaned back in his seat as he watched the warrior in front of him, his hands clasped lightly.

"Thank you, Captain. It is highly appreciated." Vegeta stated and as soon as the conversation ended they both walked back out to the bridge once more, the Saiyan seeming to be more at ease.

As they slipped through space, Vegeta watched as the stars seemed to pass. Even though the rest of the crew on the bridge was conversing with each other, Vegeta seemed to remain quiet. When Worf looked at the Commander he had to wonder just what was going through the Saiyan's thoughts. Now that he was aboard, it seemed as though the Saiyan King was little more than a ghost.

Vegeta stood up momentarily and then narrowed his gaze lightly. "There's someone off our starboard side. Its not Cardassian though. Its from someone else."

Data looked back at the Saiyan. "There does not seem to be anyone else out there, Commander. Perhaps there are some miscalculations?"

Vegeta shook his head. "Its no miscalculation, Data."

Picard looked over toward the Commander and watched the view screen for a time. There seemed nothing but empty space out there. "Run the scans Data. Lets see if there's anyone out there. Use tecion scans to see if someone is cloaked."

Data set to work as Picard gave command. "Yellow alert, shields up." He then turned toward Vegeta. "Are you certain there's someone out there?"

No sooner had the Captain asked then a Romulan ship uncloaked and a couple photon torpedoes had struck the shields that had just been raised. The ship lurched to the side as the Saiyan braced the Captain, keeping him from falling. "I hate to answer a question with a question Captain, but do I really need to answer?"

The Captain could not help but to chuckle at the irony of the situation. "Remind me to never question that ability of your's, Commander. What are the integrity of the shields Data?"

Data ran the computations quickly. "Shields are holding steady at one hundred percent Captain."

"Captain the Romulans are departing. Shall we give chase?" Worf stated almost as though wanting to see where they were headed.

"No, we stay on course to Planet Spara. Go to warp eight and hold it there." The Captain stated again turning to the Saiyan that was serving as his second in command. Going to take a seat, he noted that Vegeta waited until he sat first. He wrote it off as being perhaps another custom of the Saiyans. "Any longer, we would have been destroyed."

"That was unusual for a Romulan as well. Something is going on and I want to find out what Captain. They are seldom so far out of their Empire Borders and only then on missions of Diplomacy." Vegeta stated as a brow knit in concern.

Worf and Data looked over at Vegeta once more. It seemed that having a Saiyan aboard was going to be interesting to say the least. Worf however would not find trepidation having seen the Saiyan protect them now more than once. One thing was clear. The Warrior King certainly had their best interests at heart. How powerful he was though was yet to be seen.

Vegeta merely sat back in the seat, seeming to again take up that silent vigil that had just now prevented a successful attack upon the Enterprise. With the heave of a deep breath escaping his chest, Vegeta came to ease with the rest of the crew now on the bridge. The Saiyan watched, listening to the conversations.

Once the first day was done, Vegeta rose and then started to head for his quarters when he was stopped by a couple children playing. He stopped momentarily, his gaze lingered as they laughed. As they took off down the passageways once more, Vegeta continued on his way. There was a pause as the warrior stopped at the door to his room before looking down the corridor again. Soon he shook his head and then moved into the room.

After the Saiyan showered and came back out, the warrior would change to a pair of shorts, some sneaker type shoes, a tank top style shirt, and grabbed a towel. He took the comm badge with him just in case he was needed. Just as he was stepping out to the passageway again, he would see the Captain coming toward him. He had a feeling that his time training may be delayed, putting the towel around the back of his neck.

Picard looked around momentarily and then as Vegeta moved back into the room, the Captain followed. As Vegeta offered a seat, the Captain sat down as Vegeta offered a cup of earl gray, hot in temperature as he himself grabbed some water. "I wanted to see how your first day was, Vegeta."

Vegeta looked over at the Captain and shrugged lightly. "It was rather intriguing, but relaxed to what I am usually used to. Something else though has brought you here, from what I gather."

"You knew there was a Romulan ship off our starboard side when nothing else indicated it was there." Picard stated, taking the cup of tea and sipped from it.

Vegeta furrowed a brow lightly. "It's the ability to sense life energy. You can hide a ship, and its emissions. You cannot hide the fact that every person, every living thing, has that energy in them. The Romulans are of no exception and even their cloaks cannot hide that. It was just a matter of keeping alert to outside energies."

"You alone seem to make about everything else redundant around here with your capabilities, but without them, we would have been destroyed. I think I'm beginning to understand why you do not want so many to know your full abilities. If they knew, they may begin to despise or even hate you." Picard seemed to begin grasping the reason for the Commander not wanting to express his abilities.

Taking a sip of the water, Vegeta shook his head. "Hate and despise from the crew is not what worries me, and I'd be far from replacing the crew. It was just circumstance that I was aboard, that's all. This mission is to bring my brother to my home. The least I can do is help protect this vessel and its crew from any potential harm. It was your crew that put up the shields. I only gave the alert."

The Captain nodded lightly. "True, maybe we're just not used to having you aboard nor your capabilities. I hope that having you on board though will come to some greater use."

The Saiyan nodded once. "One step at a time. I was just going to hone in on some of my skills. A regular room with some training equipment would suffice for now."

"I think I know just the place." Picard stated with just a bit of a smile and rose as Vegeta followed closely behind.

As they walked the ship's passageways, Picard could not help but to wonder. "What was your childhood like? You seem highly disciplined."

Vegeta quietly walked beside for a time, but when it came to speaking of his childhood, he tensed lightly, his jaw clenching a bit. He stopped momentarily, turning his head to the side before he noted the Captain's concern. "I was orphaned at age four, forced to survive by whatever means I could. It meant having to be better, faster, and stronger than anyone or anything else. I was Prince at the time, which meant I was the only one that I knew of that carried on the Saiyan legacy. That meant I had to be disciplined. I had no choice. Other than that, its rather personal and I do not wish to really indulge in the past. It distracts from the present."

Jean-Luc would raise a brow at hearing such a harsh life, but Vegeta did not seem the type to want pity. "You are not very forthcoming. Perhaps you should report to our Councilor."

"The only thing I need right now is a place to train." Vegeta stated perhaps a bit curtly.

Picard however did not take offense. The notion that he was even able to go along with Vegeta seemed to take on a pretense that not many often were permitted to see what he did to train. "May I ask what to expect when you 'train'? I suspect it is not something that is usual."

Vegeta nodded once. "It gets rather intense. However, a Saiyan always gets stronger after every battle. Training is a substitute for combat conditions. A true warrior is always ready, even in times of peace."

When they reached the door, it slid open with the noted whisper that of its servomotors gave off when opening or closing the door. When Vegeta stepped inside, he noticed the mirrors on the wall. The floor was white, but the warrior glanced about. Seeing the training equipment, Vegeta put the weights on and then turned them up until he could barely move. His gaze seemed to grow determined and as he lifted the arms, he would stand first, allowing his body to get used to it before he began his actual training.

Picard would move to sit in a chair as he watched the warrior take on an intensity and ferocity that he had never seen before even in Worf. The movements were at first able to be seen with his own eyes as the warrior threw a couple punches, followed by a side kick. As the hour wore on, the Saiyan's speed increased, his accuracy improved to pinpoint accuracy as the Captain leaned forward.

When the Captain could no longer see the strikes, he raised a brow. The warrior's body seemed to strain whenever he did pause. However the Captain did not interfere. There seemed to be a moment when the warrior paused, standing, seeming to want to collapse when Vegeta's brow furrowed. "No…I can do more." The Captain nearly moved to stop him from straining himself, but then watched as the warrior seemed to again do the impossible. He continued on.

It was three hours later and the weights turned up even more that the warrior would finally stop. Letting the weights fall to the floor, the Saiyan would stop. His chest heaved with each breath as he lay upon his back. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to stop, but he shifted to sit up. Taking the towel up, he wiped the sweat from his brow.

Captain Picard stood up as the Saiyan rose to his feet once more. The weights rested on the floor. Vegeta looked to the deck as well and nodded lightly reaching down to turn them down. Jean stopped him short, calling Data to their location. "I normally do not sit during a training. I usually participate. However, I do not believe that I could have kept up."

Vegeta nodded only lightly. "Usually I train under 400 to 450 times gravity. This was a light workout, something to keep me from getting soft."

Data would walk in at that point. "You had requested my presence Captain?" He asked in a casual manner.

"The weights over there, can you lift them Mister Data?" Picard pointed to the floor where the weights now rested.

Data would go over and grew curious as he tried to lift the weights. "Captain, it would take a considerable amount of force to lift these. They are about ten tons a piece and with four of them…"

"It would be forty tons." Picard's gaze moved to the weights on the floor as he made the simple computations.

"As I stated Captain, a light workout for what I normally train by." Vegeta then turned down the weights to normal and then put them away before he would pull his shirt back on.

The warrior only glanced at the mirror briefly as he turned and look toward Picard and Data once more. "Since it is our personal time, I would assume you have a lot more questions you want to ask and it seems there is enough time to do so, Captain."

"Actually I do, Mister Sama, but they can be asked in the privacy of the Captain's Ready Room. Right now I have prior engagements. I will see you in the morning at the briefing. Report to Engineering and show Mister La Forge how to repair the Saiyan technology tomorrow as well." Jean-Luc stated as he stood up, summoning Data to follow him.

"Aye Captain." Vegeta stated, standing as well as he walked briskly to his own quarters for now. He was just getting out of the shower when he heard the door chime again. With it still in the early evening, Vegeta stood up as he allowed them to come in. He looked at Deanna momentarily and then offered her a seat. He however, pulled out a bag and began to unpack for now.

Deanna looked at a worn image of a father and son together in an image. "Is this your father?" She asked, looking at it, but not touching, sensing from the Saiyan that he was still very guarded.

"Yes, that was my father before his death. It's the only image I have of him so I'm very protective of that picture." Vegeta stated as he moved to set the journal down on the nightstand. "I trust no one enters into rooms just to rummage through?" His hand lingered upon the aged cover.

"These are your quarters and no one enters without invitation. I did not get to properly introduce myself earlier. I am Councilor Deanna Troi. I know you are of the Saiyan Culture and that this must be a bit of a shock to your customs coming to a new place with an entirely different culture." She smiled with gentle thoughtfulness, trying to put him at more ease.

Vegeta nodded, letting his hand come off the journal for now as the warrior looked back toward her. "No offense Councilor, but its just not too easy for me to express emotions that may indicate weakness. You are right though, this is a bit of a culture shock."

Deanna nodded, remaining standing until Vegeta offered her a seat, not wanting to impose on him too much. When he did offer a seat, she would sit where directed, remembering her brief time on Planet Vegeta. Then she would cross her right leg over her left and relaxed into the seat. "Would you like to talk about anything while I'm here?' The Betazoid asked again gently.

The Saiyan King only glanced toward her as the few possessions he had brought were placed about the room. "I don't suppose to really speak of myself too much but I do want to ask why everyone here seems so concerned about my emotional well-being. If we spoke to people like you on my world, we would be thought of as weak. We cannot afford that appearance. We have grown as solid in emotion as we have in our physical prowess."

Deanna noted the cold, nearly agitated state in which the question was asked. The irritance was now tinged in his voice. "You may not be used to working with humans and a cold tone tends to put everyone on guard around you. To be honest Vegeta, they are rather intimidated by you. Perhaps if you let your guard down a little they would respond better to you and not take such high interest."

As Vegeta sat down across from the Councilor, he seemed to lean forward to listen to what she had to say. The warrior looked at her again, raising just his gaze, but not his head. "There may be a way in which I can summon for your assistance without the appearance of weakness and for you to assist a bit more freely according to my cultural customs. However, I can't force you to agree anymore than I can be forced to speak to you."

"What do you have in mind?" Councilor Troi asked with curious enthusiasm.

"If I thought of you more as an adviser instead of a councilor, it may ease the transitions a bit, and I can afford to let my guard down a bit more. it's a bit of a compromise, but I'm willing to try it if you are." Vegeta stated, pressing his fingertips together in thought.

Deanna gave a light smile. "I would be honored to take that role for you."

Vegeta nodded and for a rare moment seemed to smile if ever so lightly. There seemed to be a lot more promise to this crew than he had initially thought. The warrior finally leaned back. "Well then, there may be some things we can talk about after all."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

_**Saiyan Empire**_

Back on Planet Vegeta, the four pods landed upon the pads and their hatches opened. William Riker stepped out on to the surface of the landing pads once more. The inserts in his shoes made it a comfortable transition as the other three Saiyans then got out and came over to the Starfleet Commander. Kadeesh was first to speak. "Lord Vegeta has given Lord Riker role of Lead Adviser which means he is in charge until King Vegeta's brother comes."

The others came toward them and nodded as Riker looked at the stern, battle hardened expressions upon the Saiyans. Cyrex looked up at Riker. "Sir we have been monitoring several galaxies now with no sign of severe trouble yet. There are a couple planets about to go to war with each other in the East Quadrant, but they hardly seem a significant threat."

Riker would look to the warrior that gave the report. Then he turned to the others. "East Quadrant?…" The Commander looked at them in confusion.

Caulis gazed at the human in their midst and then looked to Cyrex. "Keep monitoring the situation. Alert us if there is any change than just the two planets going to war with each other. They hardly pose a Universal threat at this time so we are not able to intervene."

"Yes, Sir." Cyrex stated as he turned on heel and the landing party would return to their tasks.

Riker looked at them as Kadeesh motioned the Commander to follow walking side by side with each other to the Commander's quarters. "We have much to discuss, Lord Riker. Change and we will catch you up on what is going on so that you know exactly what we do here. You will find this much more complex than running a starship in absence of your Captain, but perhaps in some ways similar."

Riker nodded as the warriors tapped on a computer and brought up the charts that they had. As computer screen came to life, showing the visuals, Caulis turned to Riker. "The Universe is much like this galaxy. It is divided into four quadrants and is given the simple designations of North, South, East, and West. We are currently in the North Quadrant."

"Then the Saiyans truly are Universal Warriors. King Vegeta stated that the Saiyans observed more than just the galaxy. What makes something or someone a Universal threat?" Riker asked, standing up as he took in new information that may have been a treasure for the Federation. His hand gently traced the borders of several galaxies, some of the planets named within.

"A Universal threat is someone or something that poses threat to more than just a couple planets. If left unchecked, they would destroy not just a planet, not just a solar system or galaxy. They would be able to wipe out all life from the entire universe given enough time." Karn stated coolly in response to the Commander's question. "We have already faced several opponents like that before. Frieza was one of them."

Riker looked at the Saiyan that had responded to his question and raised a brow. "I thought I heard King Vegeta speak of this character before during First Contact. Was he really that terrible?"

"More horrible than you can imagine, my lord." Caulis stated once more, his tone turning grim. "Frieza had forced us to slaughter civilizations killing billions of people, destroying entire planets. If we defied him, it was death. Under him, it was kill or be killed and we were at his every whim. We were nothing more than slaves to him, pawns to be used as he wanted. King Vegeta, Lord Vegeta's father, first tried to defy Frieza, and it cost him his life. After the King's death, he went after Planet Vegeta, our home world and killed most of our people."

Kadeesh continued where Caulis had left off. "We had thought we had lost all trace of the Royal Family until we learned that Lord Vegeta had survived. He still carried the title of Prince at the time, and refused to take up the position of King until after Frieza's defeat. It was not until later that the Prince finally took up the role of King and rebuilt Planet Vegeta. How he did it is still shrouded in mystery, but when it was reformed, we Saiyans knew it was time to return home. As much weight as the Saiyan race bears being Universal Warriors, our King carries far greater. He alone makes the decisions that could effect the entire Universe, or reflect on the entire race as a whole. It is why we do not envy his position."

Leaning back in the seat, Riker shook his head. "So then how does he do that while maintaining balance?"

"Lord Vegeta is a Master Tactician and is far more powerful than any other on this planet. No one yet has seen the King's full power, but let me tell you, when he flexes his power, even the most stubborn of races sit up and take notice." Karn stated with an almost snickering grin.

The warriors took a seat at the rounded table so that they were each able to see the Commander with ease. Riker leaned forward as he listened to the three Saiyans that offered him council. "I have a feeling this is going to be a lot harder than I had initially thought it would be. Since I'm to be acting leader here until the King's brother comes, what do I need to know about any current situations?"

"The King is using this exchange program to investigate what is behind the odd behaviors of the Cardassians and Romulans. Right now, we are keeping an eye on them and we Saiyans are preparing for any potential battle that may come our way. Your job will be to pick and choose the most important of these battles. You may want to wear a scouter so that you can pinpoint the most powerful of opponents with ease. You will have all of the Saiyan resources at your fingertips. However, lead wisely and the Saiyans will respect you as they do the King. Be foolish and power hungry, you will meet your end quickly. Lord Vegeta did state that we will not be ruled by a tyrant again." Kadeesh stated with somber expression, his voice cold with experience.

"The King was in the process of gathering information as well for a diplomatic resolution as well. There is another planet of people that want to come under the Saiyan Empire's protection. Then there's the matter of the Borg as well becoming a potential Universal threat. We've been following that race now for a time. If not for the Federation's efforts, we'd have already stepped in and resolved the issue long ago." Caulis stated as he passed a computer pad to him. "This is all the information on the mentioned tasks that Lord Vegeta was working on."

Will took the pad and then began to skim through the notes and documents. "If ever there was a time I would like Data, it would be now. How long do I have to go over these?"

Karn shrugged lightly. "You are the acting Ruler. You decide when that will be, but if I were you, I would not take too long."

"Understood, what about issues here on Planet Vegeta?" The Commander now asked of them.

Kadeesh only shrugged lightly. "Make sure the patrols are running smoothly. They report to the command center every couple hours. If there is something to be alarmed about, they will have someone contact you immediately. The trick is to trust the Saiyans to do our own tasks, Lord Riker. We will not falter in our duties."

Will looked at the three Saiyans he had been teamed up with by Vegeta. They were not exactly the chatty type from the sounds of it. No, this race seemed down to business and perhaps for good reason. These three in particular seemed a bit abrasive in their tone when speaking. However the Commander could not blame them either. He had no idea how many threats the Saiyans had faced and overcome. "How do you think the Saiyans will take to me being the one in charge until Tarble arrives?"

Karn only shrugged lightly. "Its hard to say. Usually it's the strongest Saiyan that is dubbed King. However, Lord Vegeta's family has been in charge for so long that no one questions his judgment."

"Who or what do you think is behind the Cardassians' odd behaviors?" Riker asked, assuming it would be best to get busy with whatever tasks were in need of his immediate attention.

"First thing is first, my lord." Kadeesh stated. "Change in to uniform. The people are at unease until they learn that there is a leader here standing in until the King's brother arrives. Just be frank and honest when telling them. If anyone challenges, we will be there to guard you. However, you must not back down either. The more you stand your ground in disputes, the more respect you will gain."

Karn reached over, getting a blue suit, some white boots, and white gloves for Will. "If you have further questions, we'll be right outside. The armor may look small, but just force it on. It will flex and is rather comfortable." Then the three of them would depart to the hallway, the door closing behind them.

Commander Riker looked at the garments put on the bed and then began to pull off the Starfleet uniform. He could not help but wonder however, if Vegeta had been told to wear the Starfleet uniform while aboard the Enterprise. Once he had slipped from his normal garments, he began by pulling on the jumpsuit. To his surprise, it stretched well beyond what it looked as if it could handle.

Putting on the suit, he found the fit snug but rather comfortable as they had stated. To him it felt as though it were an almost second skin. Each of his own muscles seemed to be enhanced in appearance as it did them. Then the Commander put the boots on but not without struggle. Once he pulled from the inserts, the full feel of the gravity let itself be known.

Riker could feel his muscles strain under the weight, but as heavy as it was, it was not unmanageable. Once he had the boots on however, the weight seemed to be alleviated. Pulling on the armor next, he found it to be lighter than he had thought. The white top was held together with gold bands over the shoulder and a tan ribbed piece covered the abdomen and back area, leaving the shoulders free.

Next to go on were the white gloves. After tugging them on, he stood to look in the mirror. The high neck on the jumpsuit seemed to set off the outfit, pulling everything together to make it look sharp to the appearance. The Commander took a moment to adjust to the fact that he was now dressed as the race that he was supposed to guide at first as acting ruler, then as adviser.

He could almost feel a change come over him as he wore such a uniform. Riker's demeanor seemed to become more serious, his usual comedic attempts seemed to have no place here. This was the uniform of a warrior, not of the light-hearted Federation that explored with boundless energy and curiosity. In short Will was starting to feel the weight of Vegeta's position bear down squarely on his shoulders. Suddenly the reality of what was happening was starting to come to light.

Will shook his head lightly rolling his shoulder a moment as he got used to how the uniform and armor worked. When he stepped out to the hallway again, the Commander looked at the three that were helping him to adjust. "Its hard to believe that there is so much riding on every decision I make. Vegeta was right, this is not like taking command of the Enterprise when my Captain leaves the bridge. This is much more serious isn't it?"

Caulis nodded only briefly. "Lord Vegeta seldom has time for any sort of recreation or fun. His tasks take far greater importance and sacrifice than I'm sure you were ever aware of."

"Well then, lets get this over with shall we? You stated yourself that the people tend to get a bit anxious when they have no idea if there is a leader in place." Riker responded back to them.

Kadeesh nodded and then stepped behind him. "Go out to the throne room, stand in front of the throne and then state whatever speech you want to announce that you are now standing in for Lord Vegeta until his brother arrives. If there are any challenges, do not back down from them. When you are finished, dismiss them to their normal tasks and then sit upon the throne. When you take that seat, no one will dispute your place here."

"I've never felt so nervous as I do now." Riker admitted when he drew a deep breath and let it out. "I've seen the power the Saiyans could hold and its impressive to say the least."

Karn gave a terse smile. "You have not yet seen our true power. Just pray you never have to."

Riker nodded and then drawing in a breath would step out into the throne room, the three others following behind. He took his place in front of the throne and stood there as Kadeesh, Karn, and Caulis moved into position. "My Saiyan friends, during the exchange program, Lord Vegeta has entrusted the rule of this planet to me until Lord Tarble arrives. I will lead as your King has to hopefully make this as smooth of a transition as possible."

There was one or two that would scowl a bit then one spoke up. "Why should we Saiyans follow a weak leader like you? You're not even a Saiyan."

"I carry Lord Vegeta's orders and I will fulfill them to the best of my ability. I may be weak in power, but my character is still very strong as are my will and determination. Your King placed me in charge and that should be sufficient for you as well." Riker could hear the cold disdain in his voice, surprising even himself how calloused that it sounded. The Commander though did not back down, nor did he offer apology.

Once the grumblings settled, he nodded. "Everyone back to your daily routines." Will stated and as they began to disperse, Riker sat down upon the throne. He could tell that things were about to get much busier as he began to read the notes and tasks that the King had left upon the tablet.

How long he had been sorting through the information given, he did not know. Between speaking with the Saiyans and looking at the documented information, it seemed to be a jumble of words, making his vision double with the effort of trying to figure out the best way to bring the planet into Saiyan protection. "This is far more complicated than just saying 'you're now under Saiyan protection'. They want things that conflict with the Saiyan Empire's prime directives."

"That is what the King has been discussing with them. Lord Vegeta is firm in maintaining the 'prime directives' as you call them. I do not know how your delegation capabilities are but these people either have to be accepted or denied within the month." Karn said as he leaned back in the seat as well.

"My eyes are about to cross with this information. Do we even know who this race is?" Will asked as he himself leaned back as well in the seat.

"They are human colonists near the Typhon Expanse. They have been harassed by the Romulans and the Federation has not yet spanned out that far. This is a lost colony, stranded by an accident years ago are in neutral territories and have reached out to us to protect them. However, they also want us to fight every battle for them. We cannot do that. A lot of those fights are more domestic than they are anything else. Lord Vegeta has decreed that we will not rule other planets, even if they are under our protection." Kadeesh shifted in his seat, leaning forward as he explained what was going on.

"If they are human, maybe I can get through to them since I am of the same race. I can perhaps explain it to them in terms they would understand." Riker stated as he looked again at the tablet.

"What is the status of the Borg so far? Does anyone know?" The Commander asked of the three Saiyans around him.

Caulis stood up as did Kadeesh and Karn. They walked briskly toward a different room and in that room was nothing but computers. A crew of nearly thirty people of different races, worked on processing the scanners and the information that was coming in. The moment they stepped into the room they seemed to stop, paying attention to the four that just entered their presence. The Saiyans waited for any request Riker may have for them.

"Who can tell me what activities the Borg are up to at this moment?" Riker almost demanded of the workers.

"Reports are that they are in the Delta Quadrant of this galaxy headed toward the Alpha Quadrant, my lord. The Borg are assimilating almost every technologically advanced race they come into contact with. They have the ability to adapt to whatever they come upon. The Borg have already taken several planets and have destroyed several races, scattering those that could flee to the winds and killing those that could not." One of the people responded promptly when being asked.

"Do we know their estimated time to the Alpha Quadrant?" Riker asked, leaning over the green skinned figure that sat at the controls, looking over Mythor's shoulder.

"We estimate the time of arrival in approximately two weeks at their current pace. Even they have to go around the obstacles in their path. They are not yet a Universal threat, my lord." He stated in response. "However, if they plan to decimate another quadrant than it may be necessary to send out a Saiyan or two. They are the combatants."

Riker nodded and then looked to the three Saiyans. "They cannot be allowed to get into the Alpha or Beta quadrants."

Caulis lowered his head as that same scowling look came upon his brow that Vegeta had when he had first gone to defend the Empire against the Cardassians. "Is that an order, my lord?" His tone was steady and even.

Riker looked back at the panels, watching the screen. "They are a collective hive. They adapt. We must be sure that it is the leader of that race I would think and not the drones. I'm open for options."

"An investigative mission my lord would sound reasonable. We can find out if this is the lead ship or not. It would only take us about three days tops to get where they are." Karn added with certainty.

"With only two weeks, that is cutting it very close. But three days is pretty fast, even by Federation standards. It takes another ship in the Federation at least a week maybe a week and a half." Will stated as he seemed to ponder what to do in this situation.

"We could surround the Borg ship and push it away from the quadrant, forcing them to retreat back to where they came from. It takes about eight Saiyans and with our shielding abilities, even the Borg has to turn away." Kadeesh stated as another option.

The Commander nodded once and then looked back at the three of them. "Find eight Saiyans to go out to the Delta Quadrant and use the shielding to turn the Borg away. I want them deterred, but not fired against. We don't want them adapting to the power of the Saiyans." Riker stated as he looked back at the screen. "Yes Caulis, that is an order." His eyes narrowed lightly as he watched the warriors turn on heel and depart quickly.

There was no indication that this was a Universal threat, but the warriors seemed to take the command without question and without hesitation. They were certainly not arguing with him once he stated it was an order. Riker though had to wonder if he was doing the right thing. Picking up a scouter, he hoped that all eight returned. However, he knew the risk of confronting the Borg. Yet he also knew a small fraction of what this race was capable of handling without much effort.

Once the eight Saiyans had been gathered, they took to the pods and soon launched into the heavens, disappearing in a few short seconds. The moment the eight had departed, Caulis returned and looked at the acting ruler, beckoning his attention. Will walked with Caulis out into the hall away from prying ears. "May I speak frankly my lord?" The Saiyan asked of him.

"Please do, Caulis." Riker said in consideration.

"The Borg are hardly a Universal threat at this moment. We know about your run-in with them a while back with a being called Q. Are you sure this is not just a mission of revenge against the Borg for what they have done to you and your crew?" Caulis carefully asked, approaching the question with a bit of delicacy.

Will shook his head lightly. "Partly, but the most important thing is they are destroying entire planets. How can you say they are not yet a Universal threat? They are wiping out civilizations, entire worlds"

"My lord, with great respect, they are kept in check by the Federation. They are not yet strong enough to throw an entire galaxy out of balance. If they proceed its possible that ally and enemy will unite to drive off a common threat. This may seem horrible now, but it is part of a natural evolution. My suggestion, redirect them to rendezvous with the Enterprise to keep our King safe instead." The warrior stated to the Commander with great respect and consideration.

For the first time, the Commander found himself in a tight situation. "I will have to consult Lord Vegeta on this issue. Excuse me please. Tell the Saiyans to go to a protective formation around the Enterprise for now."

Once Caulis tapped on the scouter and gave the updated command, Riker headed for his quarters and tapped the scouter again. "Commander Riker to Vegeta" He called after a brief moment of contemplating the situation at hand.

Almost immediately, he would hear the reply. "This is Vegeta."

"Vegeta, the Borg are about to enter the Alpha Quadrant and they do pose a serious threat to many lives. Should I send out a small band of Saiyans to confront this?" The tone of the Commander's voice seemed to indicate the harsh, abrasive feelings toward the Borg.

"Still yourself Commander." Vegeta replied over the scouter. "There is no room for emotions in this decision. Emotions make for hasty decisions and those decisions can often be deadly if all the angles are not considered. Now, calm yourself and ask if left unchecked would this race have the potential of wiping out everyone in the galaxy? Could they go against the Klingons, Saiyans, Romulans, Federation, and others in this galaxy if they were to be teamed up together?"

This made the Commander pause in his thoughts. What had been quick thought, now slowed to deliberations. "No, I do not think they would be able to stand against all of them."

"Then they are not yet a Universal threat. I will tell Captain Picard of your findings. Approximately how long until the Borg reach the Alpha Quadrant?" Vegeta asked with a calm tone to his voice.

"About two weeks, Vegeta." Riker replied.

Riker could almost visualize a small nod from the Saiyan King, but then tapped the scouter once more. "There's been a change of plans, form protective guard around the Enterprise. Be ready just in case the Borg try to intercept."

"Yes my lord." One of the Saiyans replied and soon they changed course to protect the flagship that carried their King.

Vegeta then responded back to Riker. "The Captain has been made aware of the situation. He will be notifying the Federation. That is all you need to do at this time about this situation."

It was the end of the first day as Riker stretched, wondering how on earth the Saiyan King could keep so emotionless during a crisis. He did know one thing for certain. If Vegeta was as resourceful as his people made him out to be, the Enterprise was under very good guidance and well protected.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

Vegeta put the scouter down after receiving the notification and then got up, headed for the Captain's quarters. When he noticed the time, he sat down in the passageway, his legs crossing as his arms folded. He literally slept sitting up so that the news could be passed immediately to the Captain. The warrior had already stated that the Captain was told, and so, he would tell him.

It was perhaps the sensing of a person moving around in the quarters that finally stirred him to waken. His eyes snapped open and then stood up. His short but stout stature came to more of a parade rest in stance. His feet were placed at shoulder width, his hands clasped behind his back, his left inside his right as he stood patiently. Vegeta quietly stood vigilant until Picard finally emerged from his quarters.

When Jean-Luc came through the door, he seen the Saiyan standing eased outside his door across the hall. "Trying to make a good impression Commander?" The Captain asked, as if trying to start a little small talk.

Vegeta shook his head lightly. "No, Captain. I received word that there is a Borg vessel that will be in the Alpha quadrant in approximately two weeks. My references indicate that this vessel has already assimilated and destroyed many races and planets. I would assume you would like to notify the Federation and the other surrounding realms as well."

"When did this notification come?" Picard asked of the Saiyan who seemed to be taking his position seriously.

"It came about five hours ago Captain. I did not want miscommunication given in the reporting so I sat outside the door since that time." Vegeta stated, giving the requested information to Captain Picard.

"Relieve the officer on duty. I'll be going to the ready room to tell the Federation. Where it goes from there will be up to them." Picard stated, dismissing the warrior for the moment.

"Aye Captain." Vegeta stated and turning once more on heel made his way to the bridge where he would see Data.

The Android stood up as Vegeta walked upon the bridge and then took the tactical computer next to the helmsman. Vegeta would sit within the Captain's chair for the moment. "What is our estimated time to Planet Spara?"

Data stood maybe a couple feet away from him. "We are approximately five hours out Sir. We were not sure if this was even able to be found until about three hours ago."

"What are the readings on the planet at this time?" Vegeta asked, his attention to the forward screen.

"Scans indicate that it is a Class M planet, Sir but the gravity is much more intense. I do not think humans can go down there Sir." The helmsperson reported back to the Commander.

"What kind of gravity are we looking at, and see if you can bring it on screen." Vegeta stated, familiar with the task of taking command with ease.

The moment the planet was brought up on screen, he knew the kind of gravity that it held. He had been on a few before. Data took the tactical spot as he tapped a couple buttons. "The planet seems to be approximately ten times Earth's gravity Sir."

"Then I will go down myself. I can't risk your lives in retrieving my brother." Vegeta stated as he nodded, satisfied with the answers. "When we get there, put us in orbit around the planet."

"Yes Sir." The helmsman stated once more as the Commander turned at the swishing of the door to see Picard come on to the bridge.

"As you were, Commander. I'm sure you are in the midst of giving a safe approach to Planet Spara." The Captain stated with a bit of interest to how the Saiyan conducted such matters. If he were to have the King of Saiyans helping him in such a high position on board the Enterprise, he wanted to know just how Vegeta operated things.

"Aye Captain." Vegeta stated as he turned back toward the view screen then standing between the tactical and helm control panels. Now that Picard was on the bridge Vegeta ran it accordingly to how the Saiyan race had always conducted such approaches. The Captain watched, intrigued by the Saiyan's seeming professional manners.

"Commander, the higher gravity on this planet could effect our orbiting ability." Data stated as he ran his calculations.

"Thank you Mister Data. When its about fifteen minutes out, bring us two degrees to the left. That should put us in a comfortable orbit around the planet " Vegeta stated as he seemed to mentally calculate the time.

The warrior took a vigilant stance as he watched the four hours and then when they were fifteen minutes from the planet, the helmsman put in the course correction of two degrees to the port side. The calculations were so precise that even Data seemed to be impressed with the Saiyans orders. Vegeta however did not rest just yet. "Slow to quarter impulse speed, and begin the orbiting sequences. Maintain position over the small island you see to the starboard side. That is where my brother is."

"Sir, we have no way of getting you down to the surface with the electrical storm brewing. Our transporters won't get you through the storm. We will have to wait until it passes." Lieutenant Worf stated as he took more readings.

"Maybe the storms cause too much interference for the transporters, but they do not pose threat to a Saiyan pod. Thankfully we have one in the shuttle bay. As for the ten times Earth's gravity, remember, my home world has that gravity. It will not be an issue." Vegeta stated before turning to the Captain. "Permission to go to the surface to retrieve my brother, Captain?"

"Permission granted." Captain Picard stated with no hesitation.

Vegeta turned and started for the turbo lift. Once he got off, he made his way to the shuttle bay, punching in a couple buttons to get it ready to go. The Saiyan looked to the Ensign that stood at the controls and nodded as the bay opened. Getting into the pod, Vegeta punched in a couple buttons and before long was exiting the bay and headed toward the planet.

Taking the sensor readings, the warrior gauged from the atmosphere the course needed. He was all too familiar with entering into such turbulence, the warrior seemed completely at ease. Though the pod was approaching, it was going too fast to really feel a rough ride. Instead the Saiyan guided the pod to a remote area. Though the warrior could sense his brother's location, he wanted to keep in contact as well with the Enterprise. Tapping on the comm badge he spoke as if to test its capabilities. "Commander Sama to the Enterprise, do you copy?"

The badge had nothing but static before he scoffed lightly. He was beginning to wonder how these humans were even able to communicate when the transmissions were cut off. Vegeta made it a point to tinker with one to hopefully improve that small problem. Putting on the scouter, he waited for the pod to make its usual crash landing, creating a crater that hid the pod. Getting out, Vegeta tapped on the button and spoke again. "Commander Sama to the Enterprise, do you copy?"

On board was a different story. As the pod careened near the atmosphere, they could not follow it beyond the electrical interference. They watched helplessly as the small round vessel disappeared into the atmosphere. Silence immersed the bridge until they heard Vegeta's voice loud and clear. It was not coming from the comm badge though. Instead it came from the scouter which rested now on the arm of the Captain's chair. Picard picked it up. "This is Captain Picard." He transmitted back to the Saiyan.

"I've landed safely. I will let you know when I find my brother. He should be close by from what I'm sensing." Vegeta reported to the Captain.

"Sensing?…" Again this caught the question of just how these Saiyans navigated and found people that otherwise may have remained lost in the galaxy. To say the least it was interesting hearing how the Saiyan would know location without the help of the Enterprise.

"I will explain when I return to the Enterprise." Vegeta stated to the potential question. Something had caught his attention as the warrior looked over to the home his brother was in. A glass shattered as the warrior furrowed a brow lightly. Taking a deep breath, he walked to the door and knocked upon it, the door creeping open.

The home was not that large, the more oval like home sloped in a dome form. The newly shattered glass was strewn about the floor and his brother was crouched, picking up the shards carefully before sweeping them up. It was Tarble that would look over his shoulder and smiled. "Brother! It is a surprise to see you. Won't you come and join us for a meal?" The Saiyan asked his taller, older brother. They had not seen each other for several years.

"I wish I were here on a purely social call, but I've come to ask you to take the throne of the Saiyan Empire temporarily." Vegeta looked down at his brother. His hair also spiked up in candle flame form, but his hair had a couple that had remained down over his forehead. The Saiyan King noticed his brother's expression soon mirrored his own.

Tarble looked back at the smaller white colored individual behind him. "My wife, Gure, would she be able to come?" Tarble asked, obvious concern on his tone.

"She is your wife. Why would she not be permitted to come?" Vegeta stated, posing the question back at his brother. There was a light smile, tugging at the corner of his mouth, starting to form his trademark lopsided grin. "Don't worry about needs either, they will be tended to."

Gure looked to her husband and smiled as she nodded her agreement in excited anticipation. Tarble gazed up at his brother and nodded. "I will get my pod. Its going to be a long ride back to Planet Vegeta. I am curious though brother. What uniform do you wear? That is not Saiyan."

Vegeta shook his head. "It is a United Federation of Planets uniform. I'm going on an investigative mission and I needed to blend in a bit. I will be on their craft for this mission and they are providing transport back. All we have to do is get back up to the craft."

The three of them stepped outside, getting into their pods launching up to the heavens once again. When they reached the Enterprise which circled in orbit, Tarble looked at the massive ship with amazement. With the large craft now in reach, he could not help but notice the splendor of the vessel they were going toward. Any Saiyan King would have been proud of such a ship. Once they landed in shuttle bay three, they exited into the large hangar.

Vegeta turned to the welcoming group as the warriors and Tarble's wife stepped out to the smooth floor of the bay. Tarble looked up to his older brother. "Vegeta, are these new people to the Saiyan Empire?"

"Yes and no Tarble." Vegeta stated as he took a moment to readjust to the gravity aboard the ship. "They are new in meeting us and knowing of the Saiyans, but they are not a part of the Saiyan Empire. This crew does not serve us, but are partnering with us for this mission."

Tarble looked to the uniformed people and then followed behind Vegeta closely. His gaze moved to the ones standing by, taking in their appearance. Vegeta looked to Worf and nodded once. "I believe my brother would like some quarters for his wife and himself. Would you be willing to show them where they would be staying while en route back home?"

The Chief of Security nodded once. "It would be an honor, Commander. If you follow me, Tarble and Gure, it is this way. The Commander will come to visit when he has the opportunity." That stated, the Klingon would leave the room with the two guests following.

Once they were out of the room, the Saiyan King nodded only once before the Captain called him to the bridge. Tapping the badge, he replied and started toward the designated meeting place. Moments later he was walking on to the bridge with Picard looking toward him. "I take all is well with the arrival of our guest?"

"Yes Captain, everything is well. Lets get them back home and then our mission can finally get underway. Commander Riker has checked in. It seems that things are going according to plan there too. He's learning what Saiyans do first hand and the decisions we have to balance. " Vegeta reported to Captain Picard before taking a seat to the Captain's right.

"First the Cardassians, then the Romulan, a cloaked Romulan vessel at that, yet you knew they were there. Is there something you are not telling us?" Picard demanded from the Commander.

"I sense life energy. A cloak cannot conceal it. The only ones who can are androids, like Data, or a very skilled warrior like myself and others in the Saiyan Race. In other words, they are outclassed in every way against the Saiyan warrior." Vegeta answered, as he had promised.

Captain Picard looked at the warrior with partial surprise, but then, this race seemed to be full of surprises. The nonchalant manner, the coldness of tone, it was not familiar. It was a cold, calm, calculating mind that sat in the seat next to him. Whatever drew out the King of Saiyans had to be of a larger concern than a couple ships. "Do you really think it could be a larger threat than just the two of them?"

Vegeta narrowed his gaze lightly. "I hope it is just them acting odd. However, if it is something larger, having a Saiyan aboard may be the only way you get out of this alive. Not to mention, I would hate for the work of so many going to waste so quickly." The warrior added almost as if in a thought. "The Cardassian that was aboard the space station was talking with someone else. They had also mentioned the Ferengi. If my assumptions are correct, they are being guided together. By who or what though is still undetermined."

Worf looked down at the panel and back up to the forward screen as they broke orbit and headed back to the border of the Typhon Expanse. "Our guests seem to be making themselves within quarters, Captain. If not for the skill that we have seen, I would almost dismiss the Saiyan race as being hopeful dreamers. They stated they would wait for the Commander before they explored a bit of the ship."

The Captain replied rather briskly. "Acknowledged, Mister Worf. We have a two day trip back to the Typhon Expanse. Hopefully we don't run into either one of the three races that seem to be banding together. Data, you have the bridge. Vegeta, you're with me."

Standing up, the two departed for the ready room as the warrior and Captain heard the door cycle shut behind them. Vegeta stood at attention once more as Jean-Luc would take a seat. For a moment, the older gentleman looked at the Saiyan King. There seemed a flawlessness about his stance, even the posture did not seem to slouch when he sat. It was almost unnerving the way those black eyes seemed so very focused. "At ease Commander."

As the Saiyan shifted from the poise of attention to a more relaxed stance, the warrior's motions seemed fluid and well trained. However not one word slipped from the Saiyan in the Captain's presence. The Captain nodded once. "We have met up with the pods that had been sent and they are now off the aft section of the nacelles at least a kilometer away. With you and your brother aboard, I think it was a good idea to have additional security."

Vegeta did not even seem surprised by it, but the Captain confirming that they had met up with the Saiyan escorts only put his mind at ease to their safety. There was a moment of silent contemplation as the Saiyan looked down briefly then back up. "This meeting is not about the Saiyans or the pods meeting up Captain. Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

Picard only nodded once. "Please do, Commander."

"Thank you Sir." Vegeta stated, minding his manners for the moment. "This is more a question about what is making the three races join forces. They usually do not get along with the Federation, or each other for that matter. The Borg have never entered any other quadrant than the Delta. That's a possible fourth. I would have to say that someone is banding them together and if that's the case, then whoever or whatever is behind it, has got to be very powerful."

This news seemed to weigh on the Captain as he leaned back in his chair. "Do you have any options to play out Commander? If it is a banding together of these people, then the fragile treaty between the Romulans and the Federation may be in jeopardy."

"There is one that could be played out immediately Captain. The Security Escorts that are tailing us could be sent to each region to gather more information. There is also a more unlikely option. We could get a couple from each race to tell what is going on and possibly speak of who is controlling them." Vegeta reported with little emotion in his voice.

"I have to say, your lack of emotion in your expression and tone seem to be at times refreshing, but also unnerving that you have seen that much to not really be a surprise." Picard said as he leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk.

Vegeta contemplated what was said. "Often, when I'm making decisions at home, emotions have little to no place while making complex decisions. They make for careless mistakes, and when we are facing potential multiple threats, mistakes cannot be afforded."

"We are a vessel of exploration, Commander. You may do things differently on your world, but here, we try for peaceful alternatives." The Captain would remind the Saiyan. "We are not at war and you speak of it as though it were a foregone conclusion."

"I believe it was the humans that coined the old adage, 'hope for the best and prepare for the worst', Captain. Is this not what was spoken of?" Vegeta asked, his posture not even flinching, the black eyes remaining forward.

The Captain looked up at the warrior and then stood up, tugging the shirt down a bit. "Maybe it was a time like this with great uncertainty. There is a lot more to this though."

"Captain, myself and two others preparing should be allowable. I'm not saying we're charging in and making war by training. Its what we Saiyans do as preparation. I don't think there's anyone on this ship excluding yourself that wants this to just dissipate into the black voids of space more than us. However, what happens in the contingency that the Borg do join up with these other three and truly present themselves as a united front for battle?" Vegeta's mind worked rather quickly. "I don't see the harm in letting three people train to protect this ship and its crew."

As the Captain paced behind the warrior, the Saiyan glanced back only briefly but otherwise did not lose composure. Picard was noticing that it was very difficult to rattle this warrior in any type of situation. Finally Picard could only shake his head. "You act a lot like a Vulcan, little to no emotion."

Vegeta gave a lopsided grin when he learned that Picard could not seem to figure out the Saiyan race as quickly as he had hoped. "Vulcans tend to be logically illogical. They try to hide their emotions completely. You should be glad that I am not showing too much at this moment. Anger is not something you want to see from any Saiyan, Captain."

"As long as the training is done while you are off duty, I have no problem with it. I would like to know however what the secrets are to your abilities." The Captain went to the replicator to get a couple of glasses of water and offered one to Vegeta.

Taking the glass, Vegeta looked at the water then back up. "That information will have to come at a later time Captain. It is one of the many things we keep guarded until a true alliance has been formed and trust established."

There was a moment of silence, perhaps of disappointment as the Captain returned to sitting down, leaning back in the seat momentarily before pulling up the computer screen. "In the meantime, your brother does not seem to have gone outside of the room, even though its alright for him to."

"My brother is preparing to take the helm of the Saiyan Empire, Captain. It is not an easy adjustment even for a Saiyan to take on. I was raised being told I would, and then prepared for the task. Just like the captain of a ship, he has to also prepare to die defending the Empire as much as any Saiyan is expected to, if not more so. It's a cold reality but then we are not your typical warrior race." Vegeta said before sipping on the cold water.

A moment of silence encompassed the room briefly as Vegeta contemplated what was being talked about. Picard looked back at the warrior. He took in the very stance the Saiyan King held in front of him as though a weight were weighing heavy on his shoulders. His cold gaze was still alert, responding to the slightest movement. The black surface seemed to reflect the stars that slipped past in silence. "What do you see when you look out there?" Picard finally asked.

Vegeta let out a breath, his shoulders seeming to settle, sloping downward as chiseled muscle relaxed. "I see planets, moons, people. I see many races yet to be discovered by your people. I have seen achievements that would confound you. I have also seen tragedy and cruelty, that you cannot yet fathom its darkest depths." Vegeta replied, only to continue. "Out here, right now, its silent. If you knew half the things I have seen, or even experienced, it would give you nightmares for months to come."

Captain Picard listened only to gaze out the window. "The Federation condones such acts of barbarism."

The warrior scoffed lightly. "People like Frieza, Cooler, even others like Buu do not care about your Federation rules. Much like the Borg, you have to conform unless you want to be destroyed by them. My father stood up to Frieza when I was young and that small bit of defiance led to the destruction of nearly every Saiyan and our home planet. The point is, when they have enough power in one finger to take out an entire planet, they would have no problem taking out a fleet of Federation ships. The last one mentioned wouldn't even consider anything. He would just blow the planet up and move on to the next. Those are who we fight."

"How could anyone commit such atrocities? You had to at one point right? What made you do those things?" Picard rather enjoyed learning about this new race that was just discovered.

"They believed all others inferior to them, worlds being mere bobbles in their collection. To be used for such things, I had to learn how to separate emotion, to think only of the task at hand. If you think of the lives, families, and such, then you could never do it. If a soldier or a slave under Frieza or Cooler refused to do their task or if they failed, it was a death sentence. It was literally kill or be killed." Vegeta's gaze turned from the window and then turned to the Captain. "Let us not think of days passed. All we can do right now is be in the here and now."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Negotiations**_

William Riker gazed about the room, then to his hands. He was not used to wearing gloves but through the entire situation that had come and gone now, he had forgotten all about the uniform he wore. A slight breath was given as he ran his hands into his hair, looking into the mirror in the bedroom above the dresser. The first day was hectic enough just trying to adjust but the Saiyans seemed to take it in stride, even if they did not yet fully agree.

Turning on heel to get ready for another day, he noticed the books upon the shelves. Walking toward them, the Commander's finger trailed across the spines of the books until he found one that seemed battered and old. The size was smaller than most on the shelf, seeming to be out of place. Pulling it out, he carefully flipped open the cover and smoothed the page before looking at what was written. It was a journal of some kind, written by hand from the appearance.

Taking it to the bed, he skimmed the first couple pages, until he came across a part that noted the journal to have been written in midst of a war. It was on some planet he never heard of, but one that was no doubt a source of angst for the Saiyan King. Sitting down, he read the entry speaking of how the warrior had raced back home to his world, to find it in ruins, only to realize the perpetrator could still be in the area. With no time to grieve or knowing if there were survivors, there came that gut rending feeling of being alone, the last of a strong and proud race.

Riker looked up from the pages, the moments scribed in the book by hand speaking of raw emotion that the warrior king kept hidden from everyone. Upon further reading, he felt the sting of the insults lashed at the Saiyan, the bitter reality of having to do another's whim. It was infuriating to say the least. The Commander read of the disciplines that took place aboard Frieza's ship. If someone was no longer useful or worse had committed the crime of simply making their overlord angry, they were disposed of like trash.

For a moment Will put the book aside, not knowing if he could have served on a ship that was so strict. Yet somehow Vegeta had survived, and perhaps even thrived in such an environment. However, the warrior also seemed to have really hated being there too, outranked and outclassed by others that were far more sadistic and ruthless. As he put the book back on the shelf where he had found it, he began to look at the library of texts that spanned beyond the galaxy. If nothing else, he thought Vegeta more interested in studying, observing, and perhaps even adapting before making any type of contact.

"That explains how Vegeta knew a bit of our culture before making contact." Riker stated to himself as he looked back toward the door. The seemingly cold Saiyans seemed to have a bit of compassion of their own. The gift, the assistance back to their space, the banding with the Federation to find out what was going in, it seemed to be all clicking into place. These Saiyans were warriors, but in order to defend any race, they had to know a little about them. It was clever to say the least.

Pondering what is and what had been had to take a back seat for now. The Commander tugged on the gloves and the cape would be placed by a couple attendants once he stepped outside the room. Riker felt odd taking such a command, but it was going to be for the best of both the Federation and this planet. He wondered how long it would take the Enterprise to return back to the Typhon Expanse but with the knowledge that the Saiyan King was aboard, he did not know.

As Will stepped out into the corridor, he was greeted by two other Saiyans and then followed out to the throne room. "I want a link to the colonists so that talks may be entered into. Lets see if we can reach an agreement with the humans that have been stranded out here for some time."

One of the guards nodded and gave salute to the Commander. "Yes Sire, it will be established within the hour." The gravelly voice replied as the Saiyan turned on heel and quickly exited the throne room.

Turning to the others, he took a seat upon the throne. "I want an estimated time of arrival for the Enterprise's arrival at the borders of the Typhon Expanse as well."

"Yes my lord." Caulis replied as he too departed for the moment, leaving one of his guards in place.

When Riker looked up to the other Saiyan, he could not help but notice an odd expression that Kadeesh held. Was it a bit of a smile? It was hard to say. "May I ask what is so amusing?"

"You're beginning to think like a Saiyan, my lord. Once Lord Tarble is here though, you will see how a real Saiyan runs this planet. It may astonish even you again." Kadeesh replied with simplistic truth.

Commander Riker only raised a brow. "I have been with the Klingon Warriors before. The task of running the Saiyan Empire does not seem very difficult at the moment."

"If I may speak freely, Sir, this planet runs far more than what is inside its boundaries. What are you going to do about the disturbance in the South Galaxy and the Borg trying to enter the Alpha Quadrant? Klingons may be warriors, my lord, but they do not have the responsibilities nor the power that we do. Even our technology remains for the large part unknown to you, and perhaps that is for the best." Kadeesh looked at the Commander in thoughtful conversation.

"The Borg will be left to the Federation and a couple others that may want to defend against them. As for the South Galaxy, do as Vegeta would have you do, and continue monitoring the situation. I want to know the moment it becomes a Universal threat, if it gets to that stage." Riker replied rather curtly.

"Send the order to the tactical room and have them come up with defense maneuvers should it become necessary." Kadeesh commanded one of the guards who then dashed off at a run, as though the matter were most urgent.

The Commander could only be impressed with the efficiency that these Saiyans operated. Every command was followed without question, but they did so willingly. With such speed and accuracy to comply, he found himself impressed with the level of professionalism. Riker knew that any Starfleet Captain or any other higher ranking officer in the Federation could only hope their officers to be so diligent and efficient as these Saiyans were. Riker also knew however, that accomplishing this level took trust and camaraderie that would make any starship crew envious of their military precision.

If this were how the Saiyans ran things, it was no wonder that the warriors excelled in more than just warp drive. The pods themselves were something of a conundrum still. Though the computer systems seemed rather straight forward, there was no mention of how these pods worked. Riker looked up, realizing that he had been lost in thought for some time as he heard the doors across the room open and a Saiyan approached at brisk pace. Will still felt a bit odd with them kneeling to the throne, but it was not his world, nor his place to tell them otherwise. "My lord, contact has been made with the humans. They wish to send one person here. We await your reply."

Commander Riker only looked at the warrior poised before him in silent kneel, a salute held to the chest as he awaited further word of how to proceed. "One Saiyan and two pods I think should be sufficient. Yes, bring them here so that we may settle this matter. Any word on how long it will take the Enterprise to arrive at the borders of the Typhon Expanse?"

"We have been tracking the ship, Sir. We estimate the Enterprise to be two days out and closing quickly. It appears they are traveling close to warp six." The guard replied in quick answer to the question.

"How long does it take to send a couple pods to meet them?" Riker asked of the Saiyan before him.

"It takes about an hour to reach the borders, my lord. We still have plenty of time to rendezvous with the Enterprise once the human is brought here." Came the response in its timely manner.

"Very well, when they decide who to send, I will expect to be informed of their name as well as possible rank. This way I can address them personally. We humans like to be called by our name versus species." Riker said before dismissing the guard back to his tasks.

Standing up, Riker turned around to see the large crest over the throne. It must have been the Royal Crest as he stared at it for a moment. "Kadeesh, lets speak in private please."

Kadeesh nodded. "Yes Sir." The Saiyan turned on heel and Riker led the way to the quarters where he offered the Saiyan a seat. However the warrior still preferred to stand.

"I noticed the crest above the throne yet no one here really wears anything like that symbol here. Is that the Royal Crest?" Riker turned to ask of him.

"Yes Commander it is the Royal Crest. It has been in the Royal Family for generations. Does something about it amuse you, Riker?" Kadeesh asked as he took the offered seat after all. This was going to be a long conversation from the sounds of it.

Will only leaned back in the seat and gently folded his hands. "I know Vegeta is the King here, but he does not seem to wear the Crest at all. Is there a reason he does not?"

Kadeesh shifted back, his brow furrowing. "It is not proper here to speak of the dead. It is not of our customs and goes against the beliefs of our people." His tone was edged with a tinge of disgust realizing however that humans may not have shared that same belief. "Since you do not know our customs I will tell you, but I will never speak of this again. When our home still existed in its previous state, Vegeta's father wore the crest all the time. He named Vegeta, our current King after the planet. When Frieza blew up our home world, our race was scattered to the far reaches of the Universe."

Riker leaned forward as Kadeesh continued. "For a long time, Prince Vegeta as he was known at the time, would not even take the title of King even though his father has passed. While we were scattered through the Universe, Prince Vegeta started the search for any and all of our people. For a long time, he thought himself an only survivor until he came in contact with several Saiyans on a planet. It was not long after that the planet was reformed, and the call for Saiyans to return home was given. Once the gathering started, Vegeta shed his title of Prince and became King. Why he does not wear the crest, only our King knows."

"That is a pretty heavy story. The Saiyans seem to be a very resourceful people." Will commented in a serious tone.

"Stories are told to children at bedtime. We are fighters. Its in our very blood to fight and we have adapted to such a life. We are not the foolish race we were before and our power has increased dramatically. Some may think us a barbaric race of savage brutes because of how much sparring, training, and fighting we do. However ask yourself this. If your race was tasked with keeping balance in the Universe, would you not also train, fight, and spar to keep always at the ready just in case? Our King leads us in peaceful ways, but should he be summoned to fight, Vegeta would be the first to lay down his life to protect the balance and our Empire."

Karn came before Kadeesh and the Commander, giving the honored salute. "Word from the Enterprise my lord is coming through. They are about two days out according to our King, Vegeta. They have ran into Romulan resistance on the way to Planet Spara, but the ship and crew are fine thanks to the King. He sensed them out. We may have to refit the Enterprise with stronger sensor capabilities."

Kadeesh shook his head. "No, the King said to replicate the systems, not advance it beyond their capabilities. It would throw the entire quadrant off balance if we did. They do have an android serving aboard, let him work out the conclusions himself. We have already made the Enterprise a stronger, faster ship than much of the others. The only thing foreign on that vessel is our metal."

"Yes sir, but it may also have a glitch. It didn't pick up the cloaked Romulan vessel." Karn stated rather frankly.

Kadeesh looked at Karn and shook his head. "It was the King's strict orders. No new technology for any vessel than our own. If they have not yet worked out how to detect a cloaked ship, then giving that capability would only serve selfish and destructive means in the end. They will just have to be glad that Lord Vegeta was on board to detect that ship in time to protect the ship and crew. This discussion is closed."

"Yes sir." Karn stated looking at Commander Riker whom, by the look on his face, was surprised. Before turning on heel, he would make further report to Will. "My lord, the Enterprise will be here in two weeks. The human known as Tyler Munoz is wanting to come to the planet to discuss further delegations. His rank is that of Council Elder." Karn said briefly.

"Very well, send the pod and two Saiyans to meet and escort back. Let me know when they are here. For now I have to catch up on the matters already discussed." Riker said as though he were on the starship commanding his crew. It was starting to make him ache for the simpler task of being First in Command rather than acting ruler. There seemed little to no downtime between demands of his decisions. More, if these were the lighter decisions, he had to wonder what the more difficult decisions would be.

"Yes my lord." Karn said before he would turn on heel and run back to the communications room to relay what had been summoned for and ordered. With the launching of two pods, the mission to retrieve the delegate was underway.

Caulis stepped into the throne room, looking about as the warrior gazed at Riker. "The Enterprise is still on course. Would you like to directly contact your Captain? We can send it through to your studies."

"Are you sure they are within range? Stupid question. You would not have offered it if it were not possible." Riker stated as though muttering partly to himself. "Yes, please send it though to the studies and I want no interruptions until I come out."

"Yes my lord." Karn stated as he turned from the door of the studies headed down the long corridor.

Once Riker was alone, he took a deep breath and then turned on the monitor, on the other side, his Captain looking on from his ready room. "Captain, its good to know you're within range."

Picard raised a brow, leaning forward in the chair. "I take then that you are not liking the responsibilities so much then?"

"The Saiyans have been good to me here, but the tasks here are just mounting. I try to prioritize, and everything else and it just keeps coming. I honestly thought it would be much like running the Enterprise, but its so much more. I did not think it would be this different."

Riker leaned back in his own seat and shook his head. "I have also had a dose of the ten times gravity now on several occasions. Our gravity must feel very light to the Saiyans. About how far out are you from the Typhon Expanse?"

"We're about two days out. We have arranged with the King to do the diplomacy here aboard the Enterprise so you can start headed out now if you want. Vegeta's brother is by now about ready to land. The colonists have decided to go under the Saiyan jurisdiction if they can reach an agreement." The Captain calmly stated as though it were common knowledge.

At that time Tarble would enter the room to relieve the Commander and then nodded. "Thank you for running the planet while I was on my way here." The smaller Saiyan stated as he looked at the Commander.

Commander Riker nodded. "I'll be on my way Captain." He turned and after thanking Tarble, he briskly walked to the launching pad and then got into a pod before launching into the heavens. Sitting back, he looked at the red marbled world quickly vanishing from sight as the pod moved into warp speeds.

There was much that the Commander now had to reflect on and the Saiyan upon the Enterprise suddenly had much more respect from him than what had previously been given. When the ship came into view, he noted that the computer automatically slowed the arrival and once landed inside cargo bay two, the Commander stepped out and looked at his Captain. "Sir, Vegeta deserves a lot of respect. I was not sure I could keep the planet from going to hell should it take longer."

Vegeta listened, but otherwise did not speak. The Captain though only smiled. "When you've changed back into uniform, we need you in the conference room. Vegeta and I will meet you there. It will be interesting to see how he handles diplomacy."

Riker nodded and moved to his quarters as the warrior king looked at him briefly before following on the heels of the Captain. The glance seemed as though it was one of mutual respect between him and the king. It was an almost surreal glance but the Commander shifted from the Saiyan attire to his Federation uniform. By the time he got up to the conference room, the Commander could see Vegeta had taken a seat close to the Captain's right while he took the other seat to his left. When the diplomat from the other planet came on, Vegeta stood up, gesturing to the seats so that he may know he was invited.

The man looked at Vegeta for the first time person to person as he took a seat. The Captain looked at the King as he sat the same time the other did. "Would you like me to do introductions King Vegeta?" Picard asked, though he knew the warrior was more than capable of doing the same.

"This is your ship, Captain. Open the discussion as normally would be done." The warrior stated with a rather polite bluntness. His hands clasped upon the table before him as he looked at the Captain for the moment before shifting his gaze to the humans in front of him.

Picard nodded as he gestured to the human guest first. "I think we know of Prime Minister Gerald Reid. Prime Minister, this is King Vegeta, ruler of the Saiyan Empire of which you want to join. The Enterprise has agreed to be a neutral ground for these negotiations. Prime Minister, would you like to start off?"

Gerald looked at Vegeta and nodded. "We want protection from the Romulans. The Federation space does not yet span that far. The closest and fastest response we can obtain for help is the Saiyan Empire. We have seen your people fight and they are outstanding warriors."

Vegeta nodded only listening for now as he watched the gestures of the man setting the deal before him. "The Saiyans are Universal Warriors. Coming under the Saiyan Empire means that one or two Saiyans may be dispatched to your planet to help protect it from threats. More will come if needed."

"We need at least fifteen to reside on our planet to guard against them. You don't know how powerful the Romulans are. They have cloaking capabilities and they tend to be rather harsh. Armed with phasers, they present a formidable challenge." Gerald stated as he too leaned forward on the table.

Vegeta narrowed his gaze lightly. "One or two will suffice against Romulans. If you had truly seen us fight, then you would know that yourself. There are only a couple here that may know the smallest inkling of how powerful we Saiyans really are. Romulans to us are no threat. One or two will be all that is required to drive them off."

"What about the crime on my planet? They could also help wipe that out too." The Prime Minister stated, adding that to the table as well.

"We are, as I have said, Universal warriors. It is against our Code of Honor to interfere with a planet and its development. That is one thing that we will not do is rule another's planet. That would make us no better than the tyrant that destroyed our own home world." Vegeta stated clearly, a note of disdain about this being mentioned again.

Riker looked at Vegeta and then to Gerald. "King Vegeta, if I may speak on the topic?"

Vegeta nodded as the Commander would then speak to Gerald. "As it is Prime Minister, the Saiyans have a lot on their plate. I know, I just ran the planet for about two weeks and it was intense with the smaller tasks at hand. If he is already agreeing to one or two Saiyans residing and defending your home from outside threats, it's a good start. They tend to be a very private race anyway, but honestly, I have seen them fight. One or two would be enough to drive off the Romulans. If they need backup, they can bring more in at that time."

Picard though looked more toward Vegeta. "What do the Saiyans get out of this? They put their lives on the line for you and your planet, but I've yet to hear anything that would benefit the Saiyans in these negotiations."

Gerald looked across for the time being and took a deep breath. "They get to expand their Empire beyond the Typhon Expanse. Is that not worth including a willing planet into their Empire?"

Vegeta leaned back in the seat for a moment. "This will take some thought. Commander Riker and Captain Picard may step in for now and inform me of anything else that may want to be included without sending more Saiyans to the planet for the time. Once all angles are considered, I will give my answer by 1100 hours tomorrow." Pushing from the table, the warrior walked from the table at that moment. He knew he was leaving on short thought. Perhaps the humans could negotiate amongst themselves. The warrior King could only wonder what they may do in his absence.

Riker watched as the King pushed from the table for now. The Prime Minister though grumbled after the door closed. "It's the same stubbornness that we always encounter from those Saiyans. I'm beginning to think it would be easier to go under the Romulans instead. Its always the same answer. He has to think it over before he gives his reply and when he does, he stands firmly against having more Saiyans come to our planet to help clean it up."

Captain Picard only leaned forward. "Put yourself in their shoes Prime Minister. Their home was destroyed. It wasn't overtaken. It wasn't just viciously attacked. It was destroyed. You are speaking to one of only two surviving members of the Royal Family on their planet. They had been scattered throughout the Universe and more are returning home, however a bit slowly. The last thing any ruler or any sane government official wants right now, is to spread his people thin again just in case. On top of that, they already have a far greater responsibility and perhaps a pending battle on the horizon."

The Prime Minister sat back at that consideration. "Only one of two you say? Are you telling me, the entire Saiyan Empire is run by him?"

"It is Prime Minister, and he has no one else to do the task for him. He has no one else to consult. Even his brother does not have the experience nor the training that he does on running the Empire. We have seen twelve Saiyans drive off a fleet of Cardassians. If he says one or two will suffice, trust me, it will." Riker added in with his own experiences. "I ran it for two weeks and I'm a bit exhausted from the lack of sleep and the constant demands that had been made upon me. If nothing else it's a start."

Reid would shake his head lightly. "What if a fleet of Romulans should be on their way to my home world? What happens then?"

Jean-Luc pried in gently. "Then with their patrols they would send for help as needed with one or two staying behind to protect your home."

As the conversations continued, Vegeta walked back to his quarters and then looked around the room briefly. Even though he had only been here a couple weeks, he was starting to get into the routine of the ship. Now that the Commander was back however, he again looked briefly in the mirror before the warrior heard the signature beeping of the door when the warrior stepped toward it a couple times. "Enter." Is all Vegeta said.

Lieutenant Worf entered the room briefly. "Excuse me Sir, you do not seem the type to run from your duties so quickly as you had from the negotiations."

"Usually I'm not, but sometimes its best heard from one of their own than one that they think is too stubborn to be listening when the plans have already been drawn up on how the planet could be drawn under the Saiyan Empire without issue. Now that Commander Riker is on board, I'm not even sure if I will be keeping any sort of status here." Vegeta said as he motioned to a chair for him to relax.

The Klingon warrior took a seat as invited by the Saiyan after ordering a cold glass of prune juice from the replicator. "it seems a simple terms of agreement."

"They usually are. Normally I have something like this wrapped up before my first glass of water is finished in the morning. I have no use for idiocy, or in this case ignorance to what is offered. One or two Saiyans would be enough to defend a planet. Its been tested and has held true for many thousands of years. This is not the reason you came by though is it?" Vegeta stated getting a glass of water from the replicator as he sipped on it and sat down.

"No it is not. You do however seem exhausted. I should probably let you get some rest. It is not of importance and can wait until tomorrow." Worf said about ready to stand back up.

"You're here, might as well say it." Vegeta quickly added.

"We have a holodeck that maybe you could train in. The graphics are very good and you can program the computer easily to fit your desired training program." The Klingon quickly got to the point.

"The holodeck could not bear what I do for training. For that I need an actual place where if I accidentally blow something up, its not going to damage the ship. It would be pointless to destroy the vessel that is helping me on the larger mission. However, tomorrow you can show me this place and I'll see what it can be used for in my trainings. Thank you Lieutenant." Vegeta said as he released a deep breath.

After Worf left, Vegeta had managed some sleep before the Captain roused him with another entrance. As Vegeta called out for them to come in, Picard entered and on the side offered a tablet. "The negotiation terms are here. We hope that they are to agreement. Also about being Commander here, I spoke with Riker and he stated that he would not mind you on the bridge seeing as how you were able to pick up the Romulan vessel with ease."

"Thank you Captain, I will review it tomorrow when I wake. Right now though, and not to sound rude, I need sleep. I have not slept in the past five days and I have mind to sleeping in on a permitted weekend." The King stated with lack of enthusiasm. Before long, the Captain nodded once and Vegeta again found slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

_**Unnatural Alliance**_

The next morning found the Saiyan King shrugging off the sleep even as the door chimed a person outside the door. "Enter." He called he stated as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and began to sit up. As the door slid open, Vegeta turned to tug on the white boots. "I was not sure if I were still to wear the rank of Commander or go back to being a guest aboard ship."

Picard only gave a light smile. "Wear the rank. You have proven to be most interesting when it comes to tactics and other operations, not to mention being the fastest and most efficient worker I have ever seen. Commander Riker may be my Number One, but your presence upon the bridge would still be accepted. Now about the delegations. Have you come up with a reply?"

Vegeta mused over the deliberations. "I'd love to relent on the delegations, but I cannot. If I do this time, then next time I'd be expected to give a bit more. I cannot set that up. We can send in a few Saiyans if needed for protection, but we cannot fight their internal battles. One or two will reside on the planet. It's the least invasive tactic and still allows for them to be under the Saiyan Empire and offer protection."

Jean-Luc nodded seeing the situation fully now in context. "So just like us, you do not interfere with another culture. Which means the Federation must have come to a certain point for you to make First Contact with us."

"We made First Contact because of the situation brewing. Now with each race in their respective boundaries, the shark may soon appear and reveal themselves to us. It is reasonable to assume whomever it is should not be taken lightly and may prove to be exponentially more powerful than the Romulans, Cardassians, and the Ferengi combined." Vegeta said even as he moved into the bathroom to change into the uniform once more.

As the Captain gazed about the room, he could see the older book once more on the desk. His hand grazed the cover, feeling the leather under his fingertips before lifting them off and nodded. "This book, I have seen it by your bed now for some time. May I ask what it is?"

Vegeta stepped from the room, dressed in the red and black Starfleet uniform and began putting the pips back on. "It is a journal that I record in. I have found it much more reliable than using computers. I have almost an entire bookshelf with the journals I have written, Captain." Gazing at the mirror, the Saiyan would align the pips so that they were straight and evenly spaced before he turned to face the Captain.

"To have nearly a bookshelf full, you must be quite the writer as well it seems." Picard added as he watched the Saiyan tweak one or two more things before the King finally gave his meticulous approval. "You also seem very geared toward precision even upon uniform. If only half my officers took just a couple more minutes to sharpen up as well. However it is your day off, why the uniform?"

"I have never done official business in casual clothing. Besides who knows when I will be needed and as a Universal Warrior, I must always be ready, even in times of peace. As soon as the North Kai contacts, we will be ready to be underway and quickly. That can come at any moment. I just wish he would at least give us coordinates to get there." Vegeta said as he moved toward the door.

"North Kai? Is this another Saiyan?" Picard asked him with curiosity.

"No, he is one of the overseers of the Universe." Vegeta stated carefully. "You have the Guardians which watch over a planet. Above them, you have the Check In stations to the realm of the dead. Only a few planets per galaxy has one of their own, Earth being one of them. Above them you have the Four Kais, each overseeing a quadrant of the Universe and called by their respective location of the quadrant, East, South, West, and North. Currently we are under the North Kai's jurisdiction. Above those four is the Grand Kai, and above him, are the Supreme Kais." Vegeta stated rather casually as he and the Captain walked toward the Conference room.

When they entered the Prime Minister was already there and turned around. "King Vegeta, I have thought a lot of what was placed on the table, and you are right. One or two is the best on the planet and more to come should help be needed. Would this be acceptable to allowing us to be part of the Saiyan Empire?"

Vegeta nodded lightly. "Then two Saiyans will be placed on your world. Yes Prime Minister it is acceptable. I wish you a safe journey home and welcome to the Saiyan Empire."

The men would embrace in a handshake before the Prime Minister would take off toward the shuttle bay and departed quickly. Vegeta shrugged lightly. "That was easy. Now maybe I can indulge in other activities."

"Vegeta." A voice came into the room on the lower tone as the warrior stopped and looked upward. The Captain looked around as well, trying to see who was speaking. "Vegeta, are you there?" The voice again stated as the warrior furrowed a brow."

"Who is speaking?" Vegeta asked as though speaking to thin air. If Picard had not been there himself, he would have thought Vegeta to have been mentally unstable.

"This is Kabito Shin." It responded again.

"Who is that?" Picard asked looking at Vegeta with a bit of concern on his brow.

"He is one of the Supreme Kais. They're contacting us via telepathy." Vegeta stated quietly as he informed the Captain. "Go ahead Supreme Kai." Vegeta responded to the other.

"We have dire news Vegeta, some that could effect the entire Galaxy. This is to take the utmost importance." Kabito responded from his own world. He could hardly believe the events himself.

The Captain glanced at the Saiyan King as he learned how the Saiyans were dispatched to different circumstances that may have needed their attention so readily. He looked back up again as Kabito Shin continued. "Lord Beerus has awoken and already ten planets have fallen victim to his rampage. He's on his way to your location even as we speak. Expect him in about ten minutes. Whatever you do, do not engage him, meaning do not fight him, insult him, don't even look at him funny, or he could take out the entire Galaxy."

The warrior furrowed a brow lightly. "Beerus, I know the name, but I don't remember the face. If it has the Supreme Kais on edge though, this is not good news. It means we have to keep him calm and convince him to leave. This may be one of the toughest missions you have ever had."

Picard nearly scoffed. "It sounds about like the Q Continuum. They are annoying and don't want to leave at all."

"This is nothing like those jokesters Captain. You just heard that with the power this person wields, the entire Galaxy could be destroyed. That means no more Cardassians, Romulans, Klingons, or Federation. Frankly I would like to keep my home a bit longer as well." Vegeta turned, trying to place the name to the face. "Either way, I have ten minutes to prepare for him, Captain."

"You take it with seeming ease. This is the entire Galaxy we're talking about Vegeta." Picard reiterated rather firmly.

"Welcome to a day in the life of a Saiyan King. There's no pressure, just the fate of a galaxy resting on my shoulders." Vegeta sarcastically stated as he looked ahead quietly. Tapping on the comm badge, Vegeta put in a command to the bridge. "Lower the shields, we will be expecting a guest. I'm on my way up to meet him when he appears. No one is to speak to orengage him in any way."

The Captain looked at Vegeta, a brow knitting. "You seem to take too much freedom in running my ship."

"If you want your ship blown up and over a thousand lives on your head, fine, I'll be glad to take a back seat. Either way, I'm going to be the one to greet this Lord Beerus. Captain, once he's on board, I'll be the one to show him around and make sure that he's seen to properly. You want a delicate situation, this more than qualifies." Vegeta stated as he finally walked off headed toward the bridge to leave the Captain contemplate what was at stake.

As the Saiyan entered the bridge, he stood in the center of the bridge, his hands behind his back as the orders had been followed. Worf watched momentarily and by that time, the warrior king now waiting. A pit settled like a knot in the stomach as Vegeta stood, the seconds seeming like minutes. The Saiyan took a deep breath when a flickering could be heard and the awaited guests appeared aboard the bridge with them.

Whis picked up his staff only moments later to have it disappear. From behind him stood a cat like creature. The moment he stepped out from behind Whis, Vegeta's gaze took on one of a furrowed brow, a touch of surprise in his eyes. He remembered him now. Beerus had held him motionless on the floor as a child while his father was humiliated. "Don't tell me you have already forgotten Lord Beerus. Its hard to imagine with even my great intellect that the last time we met was when you were just a child King Vegeta. Your father was putting out quite a spread of food when we last met."

Vegeta scowled deeply. "Yes, my lord, it has been a while since we had last met. How may I be of service?"

This took everyone on the bridge by surprise. As strong as Vegeta was, it seemed this person was of even higher importance, and possible strength. Even Worf found it difficult that the proud warrior would swallow the pride and prowess he had as an accomplished warrior. Vegeta however seemed to remember far more than he was even speaking of.

Beerus only smiled. "It is known that humans tend to have some of the best food in the galaxy. I would like to try some, as would my associate, Whis, if you don't mind sparing a bit of food. However if I taste it and don't like it, it will just mean the destruction of this ship and all its people, Vegeta. However, I would not mind meeting the head of this ship. Would you be kind enough to introduce us?"

Whether it was the politeness that took the bridge crew off guard or the fact that he ordered the Saiyan King as though he were a servant, it was hard to say. Vegeta only nodded gesturing to each of the crew. "The Captain of Enterprise is Jean-Luc Picard. The first officer, William Riker, Security and Tactical is the Klingon, Lieutenant Worf. At the helm is the Android known as Lieutenant Commander Data. The Chief Engineer is Lieutenant Jordi LaForge, and of course the two ladies, Doctor Beverly Crusher, and the Betazoid Councilor Deanna Troi."

"It is a pleasure to meet everyone. I am Lord Beerus." He stated as the others nodded respectfully giving their greetings. Turning back to Vegeta, he gave a light grin. "Now about that food, Vegeta. My mouth is simply watering to taste some of the delightful food."

As the two departed, Deanna looked up at Captain Picard. "Politeness is only a façade between them, Captain. This Lord Beerus thinks of Vegeta as a subordinate and had even planned for the destruction of the Saiyan home world. Vegeta is seething with rage underneath having suffered humiliation at his hands when he was a child."

"Is what this Lord Beerus stated true Deanna? Would he destroy the ship if he found insult suffered by anyone's hand?" Captain Picard asked looking rather concerned.

Deanna nodded. "He's extremely dangerous and both he and Vegeta believe that Lord Beerus could carry out the threat without so much as a flick of the finger. Captain, seeing as how Vegeta has had interactions with him before, perhaps it is wise if we follow his lead and try not to insult him."

Each of them conversed toward the desired response to this guest as Vegeta pulled the food from a replicator and brought it to the table. "Perhaps you would not mind some of this. Pudding, sushi, tempura, some cake, and of course a couple glasses of juice." Stepping back, Vegeta watched and waited.

Whis was the first to try and he seemed to marvel at the taste of the food and soon after so did Lord Beerus. "Alright, this ship is spared for now." Beerus stated, delighting for now in the dish of pudding.

Vegeta though spoke up as well. "Would you mind if I asked you a question as well my lord?"

"What question do you have, Vegeta?" He asked rather casually as he leaned back in the seat, swirling the juice about in the glass, taking a drink.

"We are on a mission to find out what is causing the Ferengi, Cardassians, and the Romulans to band together. Would you have any idea, my lord of what may be causing it, if anything at all?" Vegeta asked, remaining by the replicator closest to the table.

Whis peered into his orb at the top of his staff and nodded. "Yes, it seems to be quite the weird situation. They seem to be striking a deal with the other two, but I see you are right, another entity is causing them to strike this alliance. However as I just stated, you'll find that answer with the Cardassians."

The Saiyan King nodded only once as he acknowledged what was stated. "If my lord does not mind me asking, what brings you to this ship?"

"I heard Planet Vegeta was reformed and there seem to be more than a handful of Saiyans on planet right now. You are now the King, are you not, Vegeta?" Beerus asked of the Saiyan King that stood about five feet from him.

Vegeta nodded lightly. "Yes my lord, I am the King now, and we just struck a treaty with another planet wishing the protection of the Saiyan Empire."

The tedious conversation continued as Riker came in to Ten Forward, noting the scene before him. However he also noted the cool collection of the Saiyan too. If the Saiyan King felt any discomfort or anxiety, it was masked under a deceptively calm exterior. What they spoke of though would be anyone's guess as he continued to the bar where Guinan offered the usual drink to the Commander. "Any idea what they are speaking of?"

Guinan only shook her head. "Whatever it is, the guest seems to have had Vegeta on edge and then recently has changed to a more cordial conversation. The two mentioned that this ship was spared for now, thanks to the food that Vegeta offered them. I assumed it is stuff that the King must handle as part of his rule over the Saiyan Empire."

The Commander stayed at the bar and listened from afar to the conversation going between Beerus, Whis, and Vegeta. Whis looked at the cat creature and then pulled his staff out. "My lord, it seems that the Borg have intruded upon the Alpha Quadrant. Shall we see if we like their food as well?"

"Very well Whis. Thank you Vegeta for the food, I look forward to many more novelties." With that, the two stood, a tap of the staff projected energy before the were gone. Vegeta turned and sat down himself now, leaning forward on the table as though he'd just gone ten rounds with a more powerful opponent. He'd barely had time to enjoy a sip of water before he found Riker there, sitting across from him. "What was all that about?"

"They're going after the Borg ship. By my estimation, they won't be a problem about…now." Vegeta stated as a message from the bridge came in over the comm badges stating that the ship had been destroyed with no surviving members. Vegeta only looked up to Riker. "That could have been us." The Saiyan stated with little seeming concern.

"I don't believe it. Taking out one of those ships is hard enough as it is. If that was them, then it took them…" William seemed a bit flabbergasted.

"About ten seconds for it to happen. He must have tapped on the ship and caused its destruction. Lord Beerus is the last one you want to have angry." Vegeta stated as he leaned back, his finger simply tapping on the table. "The Q may be omnipotent, but the two you seen aboard today, are beyond them."

"What do you mean?" Riker asked leaning forward.

"Beerus is the God of Destruction. Whis is his attendant and teacher. Before you go on saying that such things don't exist, remember, he just took out a Borg ship without effort. He's not the cause though of the three joining forces though." Vegeta stated as he stood up. "They said that the Cardassians would be the ones to ask."

"Why would gods destroy stuff? I mean it sounds crazy." The Commander stated quietly.

"Creation and Destruction. They are needed to help balance each other. Without them, the Universe would go out of balance. Its not a matter of good or evil. It is just a basic fundamental reality that if something is created, something must be destroyed. For example, to create a structure for a house, you have to destroy some trees by cutting them down and using them for lumber. To create a field for planting, you must first destroy it with a plow. Beerus is the destruction where whatever deity you believe in are the creators." Vegeta looked out the window, watching the stars going by.

"Cardassians though, good luck getting information from them." Commander Riker stated as he looked at the King sitting across from him.

"Either way, if we are to find out who is doing this, it should be taken to consideration. Breaking this to the Captain though…" Vegeta's voice trailed off a bit. He had remembered what it meant when Frieza's ship was diverted. Some planet or race was about to meet its end. However, this was not Frieza's ship, this was the Enterprise, and things here followed what seemed a strict command structure.

A sudden jostling rocked the ship, followed by a summons to the Commanders to report to the bridge. The two jogged to the nearest turbo lift and it wasn't long after that they had reached the bridge. Both came out as Commander Riker took his place to the right of the Captain while Vegeta moved to the left. The Captain stood up as he called for the images to be brought on screen.

"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. You are firing on a Federation starship and further aggression will not be tolerated." There was urgency in the Captain's voice as the ship decloaked and shown its predatory nature.

"This is Gul Danar of the Aldara, the firing was by accident. We did not mean harm." The sly Cardassian stated. The Galor class ship was now nose to nose with the Enterprise, dwarfed by the Galaxy class starship.

"May I ask what you are doing in Federation space? I would hate to consider this as an act of war on part of the Cardassians." Picard said in a friendly tone, though it seemed tinged by sarcasm.

The unexpected move from the Cardassians though made Vegeta rise from his chair as Riker and he came up beside the Captain. Danar ordered the lowering of shields and the disarming of the disrupters. Normally construed as an act of peaceful intentions, it was not like the Cardassians to have done such a thing. The strange behavior seemed to catch the attention of the Saiyan.

For a tense moment no word was spoken. Worf would relay the information of the opposing ship's disarming. Picard spoke up. "Would this have anything to do with the recent building of alliances with the Ferengi and the Romulans?"

The Captain and then looked back to Gul Danar. The Cardassian nodded only once. "It indeed does. It seems that you are aware of the situation brewing in all three of our Empires. The strange alliances have forced me to seek out a more neutral party."

After muting the transmissions, Picard, Riker, and Vegeta turned to the rest of the bridge crew. "I need options." The Captain stated.

"We could invite them on board, discuss the issue." Commander Riker said quickly and then as the three turned around, it was then the Cardassian remembered the Saiyan beside the Captain. It was short lived, but Vegeta had caught the micro expression quickly fading from the other's features.

Gul Danar nodded. "Agreed. We will teleport over." The screens went blank before a shimmering of light would bring the Cardassion leader aboard the Enterpise where he soon sat across the table from Vegeta.

The Saiyan warrior only seemed to look back with that intense gaze, almost spell binding as Danar found himself sinking further into the depths of the Saiyan's gaze. Breaking the line of sight, the Gul spoke up once all the senior officers were there. "There is something that we must talk about. I feel this entire quadrant may have to come to alliance at least for a brief time."

Captain Picard took his seat at the head of the conference table as he raised a brow. "What kind of threat are we talking about?"

"I have no idea what it is. However, it is large enough to engulf a planet, and seems to have an intelligence about it." Danar said as he brought up an image of the massive ship, circular in size. "We have already lost a good half of our fleets and it does not seem to be stopping there. We have fired disrupters, phasers, and all other sorts of weapons. It seems to take it and keep coming."

Jean-Luc gazed at the image. "I have never seen anything like this."

Danar continued. "At this rate, the entire quadrant will be destroyed. A number of Borg ships have already fallen and been engulfed by this ship. We are sure that if we don't band together, then we have no chance of survival."

Vegeta looked up at it and then narrowed his gaze. "I'll have a couple scouts encounter it and see what can be done. If we can get a name at least, it may tell us more."

The Cardassian looked at Vegeta. "A couple scouts won't do any good. They'll be taken out with ease."

Scoffing lightly, the King spoke once more, tapping on the scouter he wore. "King Vegeta to tactical. Deploy two Saiyans to the Cardassian borders. We need to find out what this is. We may have a Universal threat on our hands."

It was all that was stated as the warrior then continued to listen. The room fell silent as they waited for word. It was only a matter of minutes before two Saiyan pods careened past the two starships, racing toward the designated area. "We will know here in a couple of minutes what we're dealing with." Vegeta stated as he looked toward the window. If he was worried about the safety of his people, he was not showing it. The demeanor instead turned cold.

Picard and Danar now could only wait and watch to see what would happen. Vegeta leaned back in the chair and furrowed a brow lightly. The waiting always seemed to be the hardest part. The warrior though had every confidence that they could get the needed information.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

_**Building Bridges**_

Vegeta fastened the scouter upon his ear, tapping it a couple times as arrows began to flash upon it's glass window over his right eye. Standing up, it was beginning to come clear to Captain Picard and Commander Riker why the devices were called such things. As the Saiyan gazed about the room, a circle would appear as the four triangles were flashing with it. Then a series of symbols appeared on it as well. Up until now the communications device seemed to provide little other use.

Once Vegeta pinpointed the place of concern, he waited until it would stop climbing in numbers before he stood up. The single digit number only told him one thing. It did not seem to have that much life energy on board. Tapping off the scouter, he left the communications open when he heard a crackling in the ear before clear voice was spoken.

"Lord Vegeta, we found the ship. Its roughly half the size of a planet and has taken out another fleet of ships. What are your orders, Sir?" The voice came through the earpiece.

"Stay out of its path, return home. Vegeta to Tarble." There seemed a silence in the room as Vegeta began to take charge of the situation on his home world.

Tarble replied promptly. "Tarble speaking."

"Get the Elites ready to battle. We may need to pull in our alliances as well with the Namekians. See if they can start gathering the Dragon Balls. If all goes to hell, at least we'll have a way to repair the damage done. We may have to go to war if further intelligence warrants it." Vegeta's scowl deepened, a snarl twisting his features. He knew precisely what he was speaking of before he tapped off the scouter.

Danar raised a brow as did Picard, the former finally breaking the silence. "You really think it that serious? You took out a fleet of Cardassian ships as though we were defenseless."

Vegeta nodded lightly. "We'll have to speak with each sitting leader from the major Empires. That means we have to pull in the Ferengi, Romulans, Cardassians, Klingons, Saiyans, and the Federation. Those are the ones known to be the most powerful within the Alpha Quadrant. Somehow I do not think the Borg would really listen. We'll use Planet Vegeta as a base of operations and command center."

Picard seemed dumbfounded for a moment. "You're asking for nearly the impossible. You would have a war on your own planet, bringing everyone together like that."

"Do you want to win against this thing or do you want to just let it destroy your galaxy?" Vegeta questioned back in a tone that sounded rather alerted and irritated.

Gul Danar stood and then looked at Vegeta. "You have a neutral ground where all of us could bring a few representatives. I could see it happening. Though having to be in the same room with the Klingons may seem hard to stomach."

"This is bigger than your petty squabbles right now Gul Danar. I'll ask you the same question. Do you want to win, or do you want your home destroyed? Put it in terms like that, I'm rather sure that they will put their bickering aside for at least a few days to overcome this new threat." Vegeta stood up to meet the challenge, his tail tightening about his waist. "Your move, and I would not wait too long for the sake of your Empire."

In the briefest of moments, the two stared at each other as though in a stare down. Vegeta's intense gaze seemed to rage with an unquenchable depth. His fierce gaze enough to make the Cardassian back a step or two. "I'll speak with the Central Command to make the arrangements." With that stated, Gul Danar would return back to his ship.

Vegeta stood for a moment before he looked over to Picard once more. "There is always another way, Vegeta." The Captain said with quiet patience.

"Sometimes there isn't, Captain, and to defend a greater balance, action must be taken." Vegeta replied, his tone now quiet once more as he straightened up. Returning to his quarters, he would don the Saiyan uniform once more. He was not about to link the Federation with his coming actions. They would have to make their own decisions.

Tugging on the gloves, the Saiyan looked over to Will Riker as he came into the Saiyan's quarters. "I thought for sure the Cardassians were going to do much worse when spoken to like that."

The warrior only glanced up as he pulled on the armor, pulling it on like another shirt. "At the end of the day, the thing most races want is to live. Play on that, you can often get their attention. I have to return to my home to prepare to guide the vessels through to the planet. You wanted to know what it was to be a Universal Warrior. Here's your chance to really get an in depth look."

As the chime to the door again sounded, Vegeta answered shortly to invite the person in. The Captain looked at the warrior as the doors slid behind in a whispered sound. "Getting those four in one room is going to be like committing suicide or worse, making your world a ground for battle."

"How quickly people seem to forget. Just a handful of us took out a fleet of Cardassian ships without breaking sweat. They won't be able to get too far when they're on my planet. It would be foolish to attempt a coup de gras when they're surrounded by a race far superior to them in strength and speed." The King replied in a rather confident tone. "For me to be neutral, I must not have any affiliations with any one group, Empire, or Federation, save for my own."

Placing the scouter on, Vegeta tapped it. "Caulis, Kadesesh, get some scouts ready to receive ships from the Klingons, Romulans, Cardassians, Ferengi, and Federation. We will have to guide them through the Typhon Expanse." There was not another word stated before he turned to the other two. "I'll suspect by now the Cardassians have told their new allies in this conflict what was going on."

As Vegeta made his way to the main shuttle bay, he opened the door to the pod and stepped inside, sitting down to get comfortable. "I will see you all in about a week. That will give plenty of time for everyone to rendezvous outside the Typhon Expanse so that we can guide them safely in." Once the door was shut, the others left while Vegeta took off toward Planet Vegeta.

In the Cardassian ship however, Gul Danar was beside himself. "Who does he think he is trying to order around the Cardassians? Get in contact with the Romulan and Ferengi councils and lets see what they think about this. Set coordinates to the Romulan Empire."

The thought of having to team up with the Klingons as well as the other three powers was almost too much for the Gul to stomach. Little time was wasted as they reached the demilitarized zone of the Romulan Empire. Once they reached Romulan space, they slowed to warp five until they came to Romulus.

Inside the Senate building, the three races would again meet. The Praetor of the Romulans sat down at the table, his calculating gaze shifting to the greedy Ferengi, and the fierce Cardassian. "We have to think of what is going to happen if we don't team up. The Federation and the Klingons have also been alerted to the predicament that we have witnessed now entering Cardassian territory." The Praetor stated as he pressed his fingertips together.

"There is a powerful race now set up in the Typhon Expanse, known as the Saiyans, Praetor. I suggest not underestimating them. Their pods are much faster than any ship we know of, even the mighty Federation. They disabled a fleet of Galon class starships without effort." Gul Danar stated with a tinge of disgust.

"When they had one on the Enterprise, they had been able to detect a cloaked ship as well. These Saiyans seem to be very advanced and extremely powerful. I am interested to know their plans and what they intend to do. I will send a ship with a couple delegates to the Typhon Expanse, however, one problem remains. That area of space is known for its anomalies. I will have to see how they intend to allow us in to their space." Praetor Neral said more with intrigue. Up until recently, the galaxy had only a handful of major players. Now there seemed another, more powerful group to make their home here.

"The Ferengi will only go if there is something of value to us. Seeing as how our fragile alliance is hanging on by the proverbial thread, it seems even the three of our people have yet to see what these Saiyans are capable of. How do we not know that they are in alliance with this vessel?" The DaiMon said in a hissed tone, his caution leery about anything to do with another race, especially one rumored to be that powerful.

"I have seen it with my own eyes. Their King was aboard the Enterprise when we talked. He had ordered his elites ready to battle. The Saiyan does not appear to be that powerful, but a few of us have already encountered them. They seem to be about like the Klingons. If they say something, you can most likely stake your life on it that they will uphold their word. Those eyes though…they're almost hypnotic, almost evil in appearance." Danar answered the Ferengi. "Let us call this decided and see what this race is really up to. I say lets recall our forces until we know exactly how these Saiyans plan to handle the situation."

The Praetor and DaiMon would glance nervously at each other but would ultimately agree. Whatever was going to happen, they may have a solution. Getting in their own respective ships, the three different classed ships took off toward the Typhon Expanse.

"What do you mean we are being summoned for this meeting?!" The Chancellor nearly screamed in his gruff voice. The Klingon was not amused by the invitation extended by Picard. "To think that we would ever come to a place where Romulans and Cardassians are is outrageous!"

Picard only waited for the voices of dissent to quell before he again tried to reach out to him. "There is a threat that may need everyone's help. Think of the glorious battle that could be had. Unless, of course, you want the Cardassians and Romulans to claim the laurels of battle. The meeting is held on a neutral planet. We will have a couple Admirals with us as well. It will be held on Planet Vegeta, with another race of warriors, far stronger than any race we have ever come across."

Sitting back in the chair, the Chancellor looked around at his council and then nodded. "I will send two birds of prey ships. Governor Torak and Commander Nu'daq will attend the meetings. Where exactly is this Planet Vegeta?"

"It's located in the Typhon Expanse. The Saiyans are there to help guide the ships through the anomalies that may present themselves in our path. We will look forward to seeing them at the meeting." Jean Luc stated as he turned on heel and promptly left the Great Hall.

Vegeta looked to the screens that indicated where each of the ships were. "Caulis, Kadeesh, get a team together. Make sure not to go too fast. Their larger ships take much more maneuvering space than our pods and they're also much slower. I'll contact Kakarrot on Namek and see where they are right now in gathering the Dragon Balls."

The Saiyan King was well aware of the notion of sitting each person down and was quickly gathering information. Heading for the Meeting Hall where he would set the chairs in a circular motion, enough space between so that they weren't bumping elbows. Cooks were starting to make the food while he began to finalize the preparations for their arrivals before sending the team out to meet the other ships.

Banners were unfurled, the Saiyan symbol flying behind him as the others corresponded to where each would sit, their unique hangings draped behind each. As the warrior turned another Saiyan came up behind him. "Sire, they are about three hours out. They have begun to guide the ships through, each at a separate point. Also, we have initiated gravity damping fields so that they are not weighed down by our gravity."

"Good, where is the ship now that we are going to be speaking of?" Vegeta inquired as he took the panel from the hand of the guard and turned it on.

"It seems to be within the Cardassian borders, my lord. However all fighting has ceased for now. I would suspect that they are waiting for the outcome of this diplomacy meeting. With so many warring factions, are you sure they will behave, Sire?" Zorn stated quietly, his hand upon his chest in respectful questioning.

Vegeta looked over the information and nodded. "Its only for a short time, but with any luck, maybe we can knock some sense into them and make them see that they are more powerful together than they are bickering amongst themselves. Besides, I don't think they really want to challenge a Saiyan. If so, a brief demonstration most likely will quell any disputes."

As the ships came to the borders, they did sensor readings, each knowing the other was there, but having each one matched up with a Saiyan pod helped to ease the tensions of how they were going to get through. They were coming in together, no one in front of the other, guided meticulously through the anomalies. As they passed two pulsars and several other hazards, each one began to respect to some degree the difficulty of living in this sector of space.

Once the binary system of the Saiyan home came up, there was little question in each of their minds that if they had to navigate it without the guides, it would have been nearly impossible. Each leader would step to their forward view screens and when the majestic planet came to view, the pods careened toward the surface, looking like small comets raining down on the planet.

For a moment there were no words between ships nor the planet. They stared at the massive planet, red in splendor, like a blood ruby, flecked with white and golden clouds. The planet was rather massive as well, nearly ten times Earth's size. The binary system kept away a good majority of the threats, the suns acting like shepherds guarding the flock of planets.

"Such splendor and beauty, it seems to surpass even that of Romulus." The Chancellor stated to the Senator. There was only a nod of agreeing before the panel started to light up with the coordinates of where to beam down to.

As each group came down to the planet's surface, they noted the lights almost medieval feel of the castle that towered into the heavens. The smooth surfaces rounded, spires scraping the heavens with a more futuristic feel to it. As each of the races landed, they stood gathered in the hall before a Saiyan guard came around the corner. With a fist to the chest, and a forty-five degree bow, he did not look down.

"Lord Vegeta greets you all, and thanks you for coming. My name is Kadeesh. I am to take you to the Meeting Hall where the conversation will take place." Motioning them along, the Saiyan tapped the scouter. "Sire, our guests are here and we're headed for the Meeting Hall."

Touching the surface of the stone inside, it was so precisely cut that no known tool had been known to cut so perfectly. Each stone fit in place without the need of mortar. The stones themselves seemed polished and smooth in spite of their rough appearance. Tiles on the floors were also of no exception to the pain-staking detail that was presented. Moving through the long corridor behind the Saiyan, each member was looking at the grandeur of the castle, and more, they had not yet reached the designated area.

So intense was the marvel that even the Ferengi seemed awe struck. The sounds of their steps, reverberated through the hall, as they passed several rooms. The healing tanks in the medical facility within seemed well more advanced. The tanks allowing for the ability to restore a person to perfect health, monitors connected to each one allowed for them to be cared for without the need for hands on medical.

In another room came the computers. About ten Saiyans manned those consoles, one of them seen to have the object located in the Cardassian sector. They had been monitoring from this far, and it seemed to be a primary focus as a report was generated and Caulis stepped out and slipped past each of the delegates. The language was sophisticated and more complex than they could hope to ever decipher but soon the door closed, The briefest glimpse had the Romulans looking at each other.

The Cardassians however, looked at the scale of the structure, the flat ceiling giving way to a very high, vaulted Throne room. A line of guards stood at perfect attention on both sides of the carpet. The throne at the head of the room seemed to display strength. In a rough and rudimentary way, the massive room seemed to span for a good hundred meters, and a ceiling to make the room enormous by any standards. They could almost picture their ship fitting inside this room alone, with it just being half as wide as their ships.

Looking at Picard, the Admiral whispered quietly. "To think the Saiyans have this kind of technology, hidden in plain sight, its simply breath-taking. The time it would take to build such a structure would take years, and even then, the precision of the cut stone, not even lasers could match that."

Giving a light smile, the Captain only whispered in reply. "It also seems to have quelled the disputes as well. I think they are all marveling at the advancements this race has. They are a proud race, one that has many accomplishments in their records. No crime, no monetary system, everything here, is done on a Code of Honor. That Code is their only law."

Kadeesh listened to each of the parties whispering in their hushed tone. Reaching a large fifteen foot door, the Saiyan stopped and turned to them. "When the King enters, stand to show respect. If you wish to do the full Saiyan salute, stand at attention, bring the right fist to the heart in the center of your chest, and do a forty five degree bow. Do not look down, nor lower your head." With the description, Kadeesh also demonstrated the bow as well.

"Find your seats in front of the banner which indicates your Empire, Federation, and such things like that. We have taken care not to set combating factions too close together." When Kadeesh finished, he turned and the doors slid open on their own volition. Stepping through, he would stand off to the left of the door as the others entered.

As each race found their seats, other guards came out from a separate set of doors and brought to each delegate their native food selections. So well polished were the mannerisms that the Universal Warriors seemed well above the smaller squabbles that infected each of their races. At one time, the covers were lifted and food had been served. As they stepped back, a second wave would come in, placing the appropriate drinks with the appropriate people before they seemed to melt away once more.

Two guards took their place at the door as Kadeesh would move now to a third door and disappeared momentarily. Each of the delegates were impressed with the speed, the efficiency, and the timing of each one, like a huge coordinated dance. Any reason for bickering at this table had been taken away. There was no first person to be served, nor a last. Even the lone empty seat had been served accordingly.

For a moment, no one seemed to know what to do. Several had come looking for ways to find fault with the Saiyans, others simply came to enjoy it. The Klingons looked about the table as well, noting how the round table offered no head, nor foot. There was not one greater than the other, each equal. The elegant banners hung with pride behind each race, being a good ten feet tall for each one.

"All rise King Vegeta." A voice rang out and only when the delegates had stood, did they turn to face the door where they had been called to their feet. Looking to each other they would each decide to give the proper bow, seeing no dishonor in it.

When King Vegeta finally appeared, he was dressed in the Royal attire. The gold banded uniform gave way to the shouldered armor. The Saiyan Crest was upon his left breast, emblazoned in crimson. On the shoulders, the gold round pins held the cape in place, black on the back side, red inside. His tail wrapped about his waste like a belt as a crown piece dipped down in the center of his forehead, blue sapphires set by silver studs in between them. Around his neck rested an Amulet, denoting his status as a gold band rested around his left arm. White boots and gloves topped the outfit, making it look rather crisp and clean.

Returning the proper bow, Vegeta made a simple gesture palm up and swept to the left. "Please, seat. We have much to talk about." Turning his head, he nodded once. "Caulis, take your team and go to the Cardassian space. Let me know if the ship crosses the predetermined boundary."

"Yes my lord. Kumiko, Pinnu, Ruttsu, Tommah, you're with me." Caulis called out as they headed for the launching pad. They left in such a fashion that it impressed even the strictest of command around the table.

Before sitting down, Vegeta stood in front of his seat. "I want to thank everyone for coming. Let us eat and after we'll speak of a plan to resolve this situation brewing in the Cardassian space. I have sent out a small party to keep tabs on the vessel. Should it cross a certain point, I will be notified so that it gives us time to respond."

Once the Saiyan King took his seat, the others began to eat as did he. However, his usually hurried style of eating was reduced to a picking at the food. What happened next, would hinge on each of these people to work together. How that happened would be up to each of the delegates sitting around this table. So far, no one squabbled and bickered. Being here seemed to have not only taken them off guard, but also made them realize that the situation was serious enough for each to be summoned.

Until now, the Saiyans had not even been heard of by the Federation. Others in the galaxy were now just starting to grasp that they were here. Vegeta ate a few bites before one of the guards came in and gave a light bow. Zorn moved about ten feet from the table before he spoke. "My lord, the Borg are wishing contact with you personally. Apparently they have been suffering at the hands of this vessel as well."

The table grew silent as Vegeta looked up at Zorn. "Bring me my scouter. We'll see exactly what they want."

"Yes Sire, right away." Zorn came to attention before running from the room to carry out the order.

"If the Borg are truly feeling threatened, then this is about what I had thought the scale of threat it would be." Vegeta merely stated before taking another bite of food.

"You mean to bring the Borg here so that they could assimilate us?!" Several of the others stated, nearly yelling as they pushed their chairs back.

"Calm yourselves and have a seat. You forget that this is much larger than your prejudices and fears. Hasty thought, makes for hasty reactions. Need I remind you all that hasty reactions make for dire mistakes that could lead to your destruction?" Vegeta stated calmly, taking another bite.

As the unease grew in the room, Vegeta could sense the tenseness in the atmosphere. Zorn would come in again with the scouter and then offered it to his King. "Your scouter, my King." He said simply, offering the device to him.

Vegeta took the scouter and put it on tapping on it. "This is King Vegeta of the Planet Vegeta. What is the reason for this contact?" The tone was cold, calculated. His gaze narrowed as he listened, noting each of the others, and their now growing curiosity.

"I am the Borg." A female's voice came in over the earpiece. "This vessel in the Cardassian space has laid waste to a lot of the Delta Quadrant. My people are on verge of annihilation. Would you permit me to come to your meeting?"

Vegeta looked to the others as he watched the situation carefully. "No one is to be assimilated. No vessels are to be attacked nor assimilated. Here, you are not the most powerful. You will come and leave in peace, and it will only be you. Your cube vessels can stay in the Delta Quadrant. I will have scouts out that way as well. So much as break this, and you will be destroyed. These are my terms. Do you agree or not?" There was no fear in the Saiyan King's voice, only the cold, disdain of the thought of having them here. However, he also knew their intelligence gathering capabilities.

"I agree to the terms." The Borg Queen stated in her usual cold, but seductive manner. "How will I get there?"

With a motion of his hand, Zorn again ran from the room, already knowing what was going to be summoned for. "There will be an escort for you and a Saiyan Pod. However, take any technology from it, or try anything funny, and it will self destruct. I am very guarded with Saiyan technology. To put it lightly anyway, it's well beyond your comprehension. Expect arrival in about one hour."

The Saiyan did not wait for an answer before tapping off the instrument and leaned forward. "There are two main reasons we should speak with this race. First, they have been fighting this vessel longer. They may have a name for whatever this thing is. Second, they could assist in the battle. In the end, is that not our main goal, to defeat this vessel before it wipes out the galaxy?"

"This is insane." The Admiral stated, before he spoke up, standing up as he leaned on the table with his hand, shaking a fist. "They have destroyed countless planets, assimilated innumerable civilizations. Bringing them here is courting with death or assimilation."

"They even attempt such acts, and they will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. I have only a dozen warriors out there right now. I have an army that I can call at my command. The power at my fingertips alone causes entire galaxies to tremble with fear should they harm those the Saiyan Empire decides to defend. The Borg would be nothing to me. If the Borg do not play nice, I have other allies across the Universe that could be here quickly to assist. Lets not burn the bridges before we cross them." Vegeta sternly said as the Admiral stood down, taking his seat once more.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**_

_**Shift of Power**_

"You mean to invite the Borg here? Are you insane?" The Romulan Praetor proclaimed with disgust, pounding a fist upon the table with enough force to rattle the near by dishes. "If they learn of your people and manage to assimilate, we won't have any defenses to go against anything that is thrown at us."

"Calm down, again you all are making hasty decisions." Vegeta firmly said. "All precautions are being taken. However, I don't see any of you here that know what that vessel is that is threatening this galaxy. This is a Universal conflict. You are now entering into my expertise. The Borg may have some information that is vital to this battle. Still it seems everyone holds their grudges and doesn't think of the larger picture. I'm willing to stomach the Borg if it means getting a brief alliance and some information. Besides, its just one Borg, and that is the Queen herself."

Silence filled the room. The atmosphere was tense enough that it could be cut with a knife. Each group talked amongst themselves, except for Vegeta. The King seemed to hold a look of concern and even a bit impatient. There was little that could be done about any of the destruction until the Dragon Balls had been located. It was perhaps the Klingons that finally got the others to simmer down for the moment.

The Commander stood up and each and gripped his lapels. "We have all been summoned here, enemies and allies alike. I say we listen to what King Vegeta has in mind before our back turns yellow and we flee like cowards."

The moment all eyes were on Vegeta, his eyes lifted, but his demeanor did not change. "Are you all finished bickering now? The ones that have most to lose are all of you. My people can migrate in a moment's time. Time for petty adversarial squabbles has passed. Unless we come together as one, this galaxy will be extinguished. I was hoping to help you save your galaxy, but if that's not what you want, then I'll take my leave now." Vegeta was clear on his threat, even pushing his seat back enough to stand and walk if needed. Anger flashed through his black eyes enough so each could see he was serious.

"Vegeta, please, tell us your plans. Maybe then we can also see the larger picture that you speak of. What roles would we all have?" Picard asked in a calm, diplomatic tone. He knew from the past few weeks that anger did not get anywhere with the Saiyan King.

Finally the guards would clear the food from the tables, leaving only the drinks as Vegeta nodded. "Retrieve the Borg banner and set it opposite to myself, place one chair, and prepare to receive our guest."

"Yes my lord." Zorn stated as he headed out the door once more. There was seeming little to be done until the final person arrived.

"Kakarrot to Lord Vegeta." A voice came over the scouter.

"This is Vegeta. Please tell me you have good news." The warrior King said with a touch of weariness in his voice.

"Sire, we have all but two Dragon Balls. What would you like done when they have been collected?" Goku said over his own scouter.

"We'll allow Dende to use them when we need them. However, I may need you here to assist in the combat. If all goes to hell, we may have to use the Spirit Bomb. That will be our back up plan." Vegeta said carefully, each of the delegates now looking over at each other. They had no idea what this Spirit Bomb was, but the way Vegeta said it, meant it had to be extremely powerful.

"Sounds good to me. I'm on my way." Kakarrot said as he tapped off the scouter and began to set the secondary plan to motion.

Vegeta turned to the two from the Federation. "Have peaceable attempts of communication been attempted yet with this vessel?"

"They have been tried, and two of our Galaxy Class ships have been disintegrated. It does not bode well for the Enterprise, if they were to engage." The Admiral stated.

"I have no real worries about the Enterprise, Admiral. They have had their ship rebuilt with Saiyan technology, enough to make them much more resistant to attacks and able to better defend themselves. Though it is nothing really that could not be accomplished right now by your own planet if you so wished it done." Vegeta stated before he turned to the Klingons. "Has the civil war in your Empire been quelled enough to at least pull the forces back together?"

"They have, King Vegeta. We but await the word to charge in to battle by our Chancellor." Governor Torak stated, emphasized with pride.

It was right after the chair was set up, the banner was unfurled, adding the Borg insignia to the others. At that time, the Queen was brought in, escorted by a couple Saiyan guards who parted and stood by the door before she looked at the assemblage of delegates and took her seat. "Thank you for letting me come to this meeting." She said, her pale skin glinting softly in the room. There was no mistaking her cybernetic attachments allowed her to move about. It was a weakness, Vegeta quickly picked up on.

With a nod, the warrior King began to inquire her about the encounters. "You have not been able to assimilate, defend against, nor adapt to this vessel?"

"All attempts have been made in failure. We were able to tap in briefly, and it gave us only two names before it forcibly kicked us out." She coolly stated, though worry could be seen touching her brows in a light furrowing. "It has killed over three quarters of my people."

"I hate to say this, but with what your people do, its not surprising that was the outcome. You brought about your own destruction. All shadows fade with light, or are engulfed into the greater darkness. All things aside though, what names did it give?" Vegeta stoically said. This was beyond the belief of the others. They did not think that the King had even known what the Borg did.

A flash of offense flashed across the Borg Queen's face, her usual unemotional countenance now shown with disgust. "You insult me. Do you even know the power that I have? You are small and insignificant." She hissed with disdain dripping from her lips.

Vegeta only watched her and shrugged, replying simply. "I have seen your power, and I'm not impressed. Face it, you're not going to be able to manipulate, con, or convince me in any way that your people did not deserve what you got. Reality is a hard teacher. I know that first hand. Now if you're done with your tantrum, what names did they give?"

Leaning back in the seat, she glowered at him. "I did not expect such coldness from a being made of fragile flesh. You will be incorporated into the Borg Collective."

Vegeta only shook his head. "Try it and find your people extinct. A war on the Saiyan race, is a death sentence to those that dare try. I would hate to have to wipe out another race, but we are hardened enough to carry out the task without second thought."

"Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated." The Queen again hissed out.

Zorn would come to Vegeta. "Sire, the Borg Queen has broken her word. There are ten cubes headed for different sectors in the quadrant, and three headed here."

Vegeta nodded once, looking over toward Zorn. "Set the plan in motion. You know what was discussed before."

"Yes, my liege." Zorn gave the proper bow and then dashed from the room.

Vegeta turned to the Queen across from him. "So it's a game of chess is it?"

The Queen smiled demurely. "Yes it is. Very astute of you and your people to catch my ships so early in their flight. However, I believe this to be what you call, check."

Turning to the back of the room, he watched as a monitor lowered, and then the display of the scans were put up. Every delegate was now paying attention to the screen. Soon a formation was formed before they broke apart, each going to a different Borg ship. Then finally as the lines were drawn, Vegeta stood and raised one hand directly at the Queen, a ball of energy formed in his hand, held there as a pulsing.

This startled a few of the others. Vegeta's cold gaze was calloused and hardened. "This is check mate. Names, now, or your race ends right here, right now. I would strongly recommend choosing your next words very carefully. Your life as well as your race, depends on it."

"You don't have the nerve to even try. In the end, you are only a flesh and blood individual. You are weak. My Collective will not hesitate in assimilating your race, and adding the technology and knowledge to our singular purpose." She said with ease and cold calmness.

"Then watch and learn." Vegeta said as he twisted his hand so that the energy ball in his hand intensified. "There is a difference between us. When death looked us in the face, you blinked."

With a release of a breath, the warrior King looked the Queen directly in the eyes. She only gave a demure smile. Seconds seemed like hours in the room, each person mesmerized by the events unfolding in the room before them. A shift of power, a change of balance was about to take place. The Assimilator and the Universal Warrior had come now face to face. The cruelty of the Borg, the Honor of the Saiyans. It was as different as night and day.

The warrior looked at the others. Each of them had at some point or another been in a battle to hold on to their individuality. The Borg Queen only now started to grasp that the warrior in front of her just may order the destruction of her race. Though the thought would come too late. Tapping on the scouter, Vegeta would mention one word that would effect the change. In just above the breath of a whisper, he gave command. "Attack."

Before their eyes, there was a singular, coordinated attack that seemed to take the Borg ships out in one attack. The next to go was the hive itself, before Vegeta turned to the Queen. "They're gone. Your people have been terrorizing races, left unchecked, you would eventually become a threat to the Universe. Balance from your actions are now restored."

Before another word had been spoken, Vegeta fired off the ki blast. What had been an easy kill did not seem to bring joy to the warrior. It was business as usual. There was a moment of hesitation before they leaned back in their chairs. Vegeta sat back down, seeming to take into thought the actions of this event. The chair and banner was removed, as Vegeta seemed to tap on the table once or twice before the warrior taking a deep breath.

This also brought to the forefront a knowledge to the others that he was not afraid to do whatever was necessary to keep balance in this Galaxy. However, the troubles were just starting. Vegeta turned and looked to the screen once more and tapped on his scouter. "Vegeta to the scouts, turn about, head for the Cardassian space. Form a line and hold your ground. I want intelligence updates every ten minutes. This meeting is in recess for the next half hour. My attendants will see to your needs."

As the Saiyan turned to depart for the half hour, the others looked across from each other. "I did not think he had the ability nor the nerve to destroy the Borg so completely." The Praetor stated after the door closed behind Vegeta.

"A warrior that does not flinch in the moment. Truly commendable, something the Klingon Empire would be proud of. Perhaps he is as he says he is, a Universal Warrior." The two Klingons triumphantly stated.

However it was not long before the Captain looked to the Admiral. "It seems we have a new power in the galaxy. However, knowing where he stands on issues, I feel that the Saiyans may be better than the Borg."

"Better the blood on his hands than our's." The Admiral said to Picard. "Federation would not have allowed such a thing. This place is rather impressive. A neutral enough ground to bring enemy and ally together in one place? That is one thing the Federation most likely could not have done on such short notice."

The murmuring continued between each of the races. For a brief moment they stood on a ground that brought them together, without preconceived malicious hidden agendas. As drinks were refilled, the Saiyans seemed to gather in one place as the group of delegates drifted toward them in curiosity.

"Saiyans are proud warriors, perhaps you can strike an alliance with the Klingons." The Governor said with heightened desire to join forces after the show of strength.

"Our King says otherwise. We are not to ally with anyone. We Saiyans are to be neutral, no matter the enticement to join any party." Zorn said in a rather respectful tone to them.

"Of course, who would want to ally with the Klingons other than the Federation." The Romulans laughed as they listened to the response.

The two would begin to scuffle about, fists flying as the Ferengi and Federation diplomats began to try breaking it up, only to be stopped by the Saiyans. They looked at the Saiyans in disbelief. "They may kill each other. War may be started here if you allow it to continue." Picard nearly shouted at the Saiyan that held him back.

"They are four and on a planet that has ten times Earth's gravity. Getting between those two would be foolish for you." Kolra said with little regard, allowing the four to bicker and argue. The warrior turned to watch. "They will be stopped if it escalates. It is not uncommon for Saiyans to handle their differences the same way, but in doing so, we tend to get stronger."

As the Saiyans moved away, the four became more embroiled in their fight. The two seemed to fight for a good amount of time before they finally wore out. Each one stepped back, each at an impasse. There was no winner nor loser. Zorn stepped up to them. "If you four are done fighting now, we will get you tended to."

There was nothing more said as they were healed of their injuries and in that moment, King Vegeta reappeared looking to them. Breathless, exhausted, the four combatants had given away their own activities. With a light raise of the brow, the four looked at Vegeta only to suddenly feel a sense of guilt. They had actually fought in the home of the Saiyan King, a place that had not disrespected them in any way.

"If you're finished with your disputes now, we will continue." Vegeta turned to the monitor again. "Caulis, it seems the ship has come to a stop. What is the reason for the sudden cease?"

"If I wasn't seeing it with my own eyes Sire, I would say that the ship is trying to drain energy from the planet now. It has wrapped the planet in a series of tentacles. King Vegeta, dare I say, this ship may have an artificial intelligence. How would you like us to proceed, my lord?"

"Hold your ground for now. Is that planet inhabited?" Vegeta asked, seeming to calculate every what if situation.

"Yes Sire, it is inhabited." Caulis responded promptly.

"Kakarrot, what's your status?" Vegeta turned to the window, his tail that was lowered down, now wrapped about his waist.

"We have all seven King Vegeta. I'm on my way home." Goku said in a rather chipper tone.

Vegeta gave one breath of relief and then with the furrowing of the brow, would look around the room. "Do not return. Instead, correct your course to rendezvous with the others in Cardassian space. Take a small band of Saiyans and help the natives on that planet. We have to find out who or what this is."

"On my way. King Vegeta, I'll meet you on the battle field." Kakarrot said before there was a silence that fell in the hushed room.

Vegeta moved to the others and sat down. "As we know, this thing is going to be a threat to everyone. We can only wait now while the band of Saiyans out there gets the needed information where the Borg fell short."

"How long would it take for your people to get in place?" The Admiral asked of Vegeta.

"From Namek to the Cardassian space, about a week. We are speaking of moving intergalactic ally, unless…" Vegeta broke off his estimations before tapping the scouter again. "Kakarrot, you know Instant Transmission right? Are there any energies powerful enough for you to lock on to?"

"Instant Transmission?" Picard, the Admiral, and others whispered quietly, out of confusion.

"Of course, give me a moment to check." Kakarrot stated, as Vegeta would allow the communications to be put up as well for all to hear. Not much longer, Kakarrot's voice came over the monitors sounding rather disheartened. "There is nothing powerful enough to lock on to from my distance."

"Keep focusing on that area Kakarrot." Vegeta stated before turning to the band of Saiyans along the Cardassian borders. The holographic images coming up around the entire room as Vegeta stood up and headed toward the respective direction needed.

"To all Saiyans on the Cardassian line, raise your power levels. Kakarrot needs a powerful enough energy to lock on to for Instant Transmission." Not long after the order was given than Vegeta turned and moved back to where Kakarrot would have been.

A tense moment would seem to pass as the room seemed to hold their collective breath. This was more than just a ship or a planet. The King was trying to correlate the defenses to protect the Cardassian space long enough to get all the other resources in place. Even from the view of the others, it was a daunting undertaking.

"Alright, I'm locked on to their energy. Here it goes." Kakarrot seemed now more excited. Then the ship's location seemed to literally jump from around Namek to the Cardassian space in a couple seconds. "King Vegeta, I know what this is, but its also different." The warrior came back to Vegeta.

"What is it Kakarrot?" Vegeta asked rather impatiently as he again shifted position.

"The Big Gete Star, Lord Vegeta, but if I didn't know better, I'd say it has some Borg technology, mixed with Cooler's as well. This is not going to be like the last time we fought this thing." Goku stated as he announced what he seen.

Taking a bit of a breath, Vegeta only watched as the planet disappeared from the screen, and the ship turned about to start moving once more. As the King moved back through the room, he would take into account the trajectory. He noted Cardassia was next in line. "King Kai, are you listening?"

The others looked around momentarily before another voice sounded in the room, making the others jump, trying to see who was there. "Yes, I know the plight, Vegeta. It seems that its on track to taking out Cardassia next."

Vegeta shook his head, his fists clinching. "How powerful are we talking about, King Kai?"

"This is the enhanced version of the Big Gete Star. It also has none of the weaknesses it did before. The band of Saiyans out front of this ship will not have any chance save one, and you know of whom I speak of." King Kai said with some foreboding on his voice. "The power of this vessel is off the charts. it's the Borg, the Cold Empire, and an Artificial Intelligence wrapped up in one."

There was a pause before King Kai spoke again. "You have to find its weakness and strike. However, if you go in to battle Vegeta, its most likely you won't survive this confrontation."

Giving a low growl, Vegeta narrowed his gaze. "My hands are tied King Kai. This thing poses a threat to the entire galaxy if not the Universe. You know we are the only race even remotely capable of defeating this ship. This is what we are meant to do, what we live for."

Vegeta turned back to the others. What had started out as just a simple thing going on, needing investigation, now turned into a Universal threat. Things were turning bad, and quickly. The silence of the room, spoke volumes to it. "I will not keep anyone here that feels the need to depart and head home. Cardassia is next. After that, who knows where it will go."

They each looked to each other as they realized just how petty their squabbles had been before. Each of them had handled small scuffles and combats. They had even been to war with each other. However, nothing seemed to match the scale that this was on. Vegeta merely stood there, each one starting to feel the weight on his shoulders.

"We do not desert friends, King Vegeta." Picard stated, standing up. "I think I can speak for the Federation when I say that we will stand with you in this battle."

"The Klingons will stand with you. To die in battle is the greatest honor." The Governor stood up as well, placing his hand in a fist over the heart, but did not bow. "We too are warriors and we yearn for honorable battle."

"Seeing as how everyone else is prepared to die, we expect payment if we are to join forces. However, as our home is near that area, we will join in as well. This would make any Ferengi a legend about how we helped in this war." The Ferengi DaiMon stated as he too stood up.

"There is no need to leave us out either." The Romulans concluded seeing the others jump to the occasion. "We would like some negotiations however afterwards about allying the Romulans with the Saiyans later on." The Praetor added.

"It is our home that is on the line at this moment. Cardassia will not fall without a fight. You can bet that we will be in on the fight that threatens our home." One of the Cardassians spoke up his fist hitting the table once again.

Vegeta looked about the table. "To go into this fight could mean death. However, we have a plan in mind too. Any damage this ship has caused is going to be fixed. Lives will also be restored. However, you would remember everything that had happened. I welcome each of you to the ranks with my people. Engage in the battle but keep your distance. This thing has the ability to morph and grow. A direct assault will not work on it."

Vegeta turned from the table as the screens zoomed in on the areas. He went over the plans for each one, allowing for rest, repairs, and optimal fighting capabilities to each group. However, the King of Saiyans also knew that if all else failed, they still had one trump card to pull.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

_**Call to War**_

The Saiyan looked over the information, and for a moment it seemed the collective breath was held. These Saiyans had just dispatched the greatest threat the Alpha Quadrant had faced as though they were nothing more than an afterthought. Vegeta looked over at the screens. "Zoom in on the sector of space about to be attacked." The computer zoomed in even as Vegeta barked the order.

Taking his hand, he would touch it and then seemed to throw that part over to the table where everyone was sitting. Vegeta turned to the others as the Admiral stood up and looked at the projection. "From the looks of it, the Saiyans seem to be holding off the ship. We may not have to go in."

Vegeta only scowled lightly. "Three different entities, calls for a three pronged attack. Kakarrot and myself will take up one part, with Meta Cooler. The Saiyans will deal with the Cold Empire, and this alliance will take on the Borg aspects. Shut down the intelligence, we sever the proverbial spine."

Picard looked at the map and then watched as the Saiyans seem to converge on the ship, putting a line between it and the planet. "How do you suggest we contact our respective leaders to see if we are to engage in this combat?"

"There is a way to get messages out to each of your respective planets." As the Saiyans came to the highest ranking officer of each race, they were given scouters. They looked at them until they witnessed Vegeta putting one on again, then tapped the button. "Caulis, give me an update."

"Its getting intense here Sire. Its coming straight for Planet Cardassia and with the cyclopean drones coming off this thing, the battle is rather fierce. We could use some back up." Caulis replied as the King stared ahead for the moment and nodded. "All elite Saiyans, report to the Castle immediately."

Vegeta looked over at the others and with a moment's hesitation would move into the Throne Room where his brother came to meet up with him. As the warriors looked to each other, Vegeta only watched momentarily. "The cyclopean guards are the first line of defense. A tactic we've seen before." The warrior stated as the small group of delegates followed behind him.

"Kakarrot, get rid of the small fish to clear the field." The King said even as a good group of Saiyans entered the Throne Room. As the warrior King looked over at them, he knew precisely what he was sending them to, and it was not an easy decision. Vegeta only watched and listened for a moment before he turned to them.

"My King, perhaps we can help with this battle. We Saiyans have a prowess for combat unlike any seen here in this galaxy." One soldier stated before he gestured to the group.

Glancing toward the others, Vegeta only nodded. "Very well. I need a small group though to stay behind to guard this planet as well. Get some of the Lower Classed as well. They may have some strategies that could be put to use."

"Yes, my liege." He said as a small compliment of ten stayed behind. Each one would take their respective places even as the delegates wrapped up their conversations.

As they came back to gather around Vegeta, Riker would beam down, appearing with the delegates. "Captain, news indicates that the Cardassians are about to enter the battle alongside the Saiyans. The vessel is only about fifty thousand kilometers from the planet and closing in."

Turning around, Vegeta looked to Commander Riker, listening to the update carefully. That was not a lot of distance from the planet. Outside, the pods began to take off, careening toward the battlefield. Turning to look toward the delegates again, the King raised a brow. "What is your news? Are all of your people going to help?"

The Ferengi looked over and shook his head. "No, there is no profit from it. So we will take our leave." Within moments the two that had come were taken aboard their vessel and they were led from the Typhon Expanse, leaving the rest to look at each other.

"King Vegeta, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we are with you to the end on this battle. Let it be a victory that we can tell for many generations to come." The Admiral said, extending a hand toward the Saiyan King. Vegeta grasped his hand firmly, and gave it a couple shakes in agreement.

Riker looked over at Vegeta. If anyone knew what weight was on his shoulders, it was him. There seemed a grim look upon the Saiyan's expression as he walked over to Vegeta, only to get a determined gaze, weighted in decision. William looked at the other delegates now conversing amongst themselves. "I can only guess at the weight you bear right now Vegeta. I've walked in your shoes if only for a couple weeks. Commanding an armada like this…" The magnitude of it had yet to hit the others as it did the Commander.

"Welcome to my life." Vegeta said as he moved toward them. "You should begin heading out. I'll meet all of you in Federation Space to lead from there. There is no time to be lost standing around."

Riker walked up to Picard. "Permission to travel with Vegeta, Captain?"

"Permission granted, Commander." Captain Picard said as he tapped the comm badge to be beamed back up after the scouters were collected from each one.

After they had departed, Vegeta did not look back at Riker. "You should have gone with. You may have lived longer."

"What are you talking about? I plan on living forever." Will jabbed playfully at Vegeta, trying to lighten the tension.

"My people will be out there fighting for the lives of people they don't even know. We have effectively shifted the balance of power, and now we come against this monstrosity. I appreciate your trying to throw in some humor, but at this moment, I don't have time for it." Vegeta said before disappearing to his room.

When the Saiyan came out, he was in full combat gear. His blue body suit was complimented with the gold banded armor, white boots, and white gloves. His tail wrapped around the waist like a thick, furred belt. Upon the chest was the red symbol of the Royal Crest. Vegeta tugged at the gloves, as he looked over to Riker. "Are you ready to go see this thing first hand?"

As the Commander stood up, he came to attention and answered. "Yes, Sir, I am ready." There seemed to be a certain pride being able to go with this Ruler. He was only happy to have the privilege to do so.

Vegeta tapped on the scouter. "Have two pods ready and coordinates set in to Planet Cardassia." Vegeta said as he looked at Riker and both began to walk from the room.

Tarble came running up behind. "Brother, please, just…be careful out there alright?"

Vegeta rested a hand on his brother's shoulder and nodded. "That is my intention. When my pod takes off, contact Namek and the Supreme Kai. The Supreme Kai can help get Dende where he can do the most help with medical needs that will arise."

Turning from the chambers, a couple men stood outside on the launching pads. They however, were not Saiyans. However, the way they respected the King, it was obvious that they were treated with the same dignity and respect that he shown to his Elite soldiers. Climbing in, the two waited for the doors to close and once it sealed, the pods lifted into the air slowly at first, before the engines kicked into high gear and propelled them through space at a rapid pace.

Before too long, they had overtaken the vessels that were being guided through the Typhon Expanse, only to race off into the distance. Aboard the Enterprise, the Captain watched as the two pods passed by. Data looked over to the Captain as he tried to calculate the speed they had to be traveling. More though, he noted the expression of dread and excitement in his Commanding Officer's eyes and facial features.

Doctor Crusher stared ahead as well. "Who was that passing just now? They seem to be in a bit of a hurry."

"Commander Riker and King Vegeta just passed us. My guess is that they are headed straight for the region of combat. After all, it is his people that are holding the line right now and keeping Cardassia from being wiped off the proverbial map." Jean Luc said, a note of distinct tone of grimness to it. As he looked at the pods fading into a higher speed, he muttered under his breath. "Keep him safe, Vegeta."

Turning around, Picard took his seat. "Ensign, prepare to go to warp six when we come out of the Typhon Expanse. We have our own preparations to make. Let's hope that the Saiyans can battle solo for a time until we can arrive to uphold our end of the plans."

"Aye Captain." The Ensign said as she prepared the controls.

The moment they were free from the Typhon Expanse, the Captain gave the order. "Engage, Ms. Andrews."

With little hesitation, a few taps on the controls sent the Enterprise into warp six. Picard stood up and looked ahead. "Plot a course to Wolf 365. We will rendezvous with the other ships there as agreed on Planet Vegeta."

After the course was laid in, the Enterprise engaged to the designated warp speed. The hum of the engines were quiet, almost unnoticeable. As they propelled through space, some of the crew became anxious. Others held their breath in waited anticipation. Deanna Troi was only too aware of the shift of mood on the Enterprise. Crossing her legs as she sat back in the seat, looking out of the forward view screen.

This was going to be something that would be spoken of for generations. Jean Luc stood up in anticipation as the stars slipped past in silence. Everything seemed to be going too smoothly for his tastes as he turned around. "I'm going to see if there are any further updates. Mr. Data, you have the bridge."

Walking briskly to the Ready Room, Deanna came right on his heels. "Captain, may I speak with you a moment?" The Counselor asked as the door slid shut with a soft whisper.

"What would you like to speak about?" Captain Picard moved around his desk and sat down as he gave her his undivided attention.

"Captain, there are mixed emotions about going into combat. Some feel this is not our fight, while others are eagerly anticipating it. I have to wonder, if this vessel did have it's way, what would remain of this sector of space?" Counselor Troi asked remaining rather even toned. Her Betazoid skills seemed impeccable as usual, allowing her empathic abilities to gain a sense of the ship's general mood.

"Even the Borg fled from this vessel, Counselor. These Saiyans have effectively shifted the balance of power in this galaxy. When they can wipe out the Borg as though they were nothing more than flies, it makes you wonder just how powerful these Saiyans really are. Thankfully at this moment, they seem to be on our side, protecting those of us in line of danger." Picard said as he leaned back in the chair. "We will gauge this situation and act accordingly. Right now, we are under orders to proceed as Vegeta has asked."

"Vegeta." Deanna almost whispered. "He is a very private individual with a lot of pain, anger, and rigid discipline. I would like to know more of his background. There does not seem to be a lot of information on him save for what we were told. Other than that, we know he is extremely powerful, and that he seems to be easily reasoned with."

"It's a good thing then that he is not prone to outbursts then. I have full confidence that he is thinking about each of our customs and such for this battle. He does not seem the type to send people into these situations without first taking into consideration the lives aboard each ship." Picard mentioned rather thoughtfully.

"Yes Captain. Perhaps I'm also a bit anxious myself. Thank you for listening, Sir." She smiled as she exited the room.

Picard requested to speak to Starfleet Command, when Admiral James Anderson showed up on the computer. "Good evening, Admiral, I was just wondering about the status of Cardassia and the Saiyans out there. Have we heard anything, Sir?"

Admiral Anderson looked rather worn. "Cardassia is no more, Captain. The Saiyans fought bravely, to the last breath, but it was not enough. They need our help Captain, of that now I'm fully aware. At this moment, the Enterprise will be under the command of King Vegeta. You may want to get in contact with him to get the briefing. Picard, just be careful around there. This thing is more powerful than anything we have ever known to exist."

"Aye Sir, I'll contact him right away then." Picard turned off the screen, his hand cupping his chin in fretting concern. If this thing could take out Saiyans, he had to wonder what hope there would be for the armada that was to form and head out. Taking a deep breath, he stood up, moving to the window. Cardassia was no longer there. Vegeta had to be reeling with the loss of some of his people.

"Captain to the bridge." Data's voice came in over the comm link.

Turning around, he briskly exited the Ready Room on the bridge. "What is it Mr. Data?"

"Two Saiyan pods have come into viewing range Captain. It is Vegeta and Commander Riker, Sir." Data stated in a tone that stated business instead of his normal curiosity.

"You know what to do Mr. Data. I'll meet them down in the main shuttle bay." Picard said shortly before walking from the bridge onto the turbolift. After the doors cycled closed, he gave command to the appropriate deck and waited for it to stop. Once he got off the lift and into the shuttle bay, the two pods had already landed, and the doors began to open.

As Riker and Vegeta stepped out, Vegeta seemed to brush past with only a glance. Will watched him go as he stepped up to the Captain. "His people fight harder than any race I have known Captain, and it still was not enough. The original band that was there to guard Cardassia had fallen before it took the planet."

"Survivors?" Picard asked in a single word.

"A lot of survivors thanks to Vegeta's quick thinking. Kakarrot was able to use the Instant Transmission to teleport most of the inhabitants to another planet where they should be safe for now. It was much more efficient than our teleporters, and thankfully because of that, nearly their entire population survived." Riker reported to his Captain as his gaze trailed off toward the door that Vegeta had passed through moments ago.

"What of his people?" Jean Luc asked, even though a pit in his stomach would open up with a sick feeling. He probably already knew the answer.

"They fought hard and honorably Captain, but suffered heavy injuries and some casualties, Sir. They held that line until everyone that wanted to leave was given that chance. That vessel out there, it defies description. Vegeta was right to call for assistance." Commander Riker said before the two of them would start off toward the Saiyan's quarters.

When they were granted permission to come into the room, Vegeta was seen tugging on a new armor over his head. When he had it situated, he placed the crown piece back on. Picard watched for a brief pause before finally speaking. "Starfleet Command has placed you in charge of the Enterprise."

Vegeta glanced back and then tugged on his gloves. "Then I hope they don't mind me wearing my combat gear. Captain, the last thing I want to do is command a ship at this moment in time." The Saiyan took his fingers and ran them through the frayed looking hair, allowing it to stand again in its typical candle flame style.

"Well, it seems then that choice has been removed from both of our hands. I will have to obey your orders." Picard said as he stood about ten feet inside the door.

"We will still have to meet at Wolf 365. If there's one thing I've learned, its not to underestimate the will to survive, Captain. Kakarrot and myself have three trump cards up our sleeves if it comes down to it. It will have to be the old cliché, divide and conquer, first. If that doesn't work, then we may have to set up the Spirit Bomb." Vegeta stated as he turned toward the Captain.

"What is this Spirit Bomb?" Riker asked the Saiyan as Vegeta pulled on the other glove and got it to his liking.

Pausing to look at him, he lowered his arm from putting the gloves on. Vegeta's black eyes seemed to turn serious. "You'll know it if or when you see it. Let's just hope it does not come to that." It was all the information that Vegeta offered at this moment.

Silence filled the room as Vegeta laid the journal upon the small dresser and finally turned to look at them. Jean Luc watched momentarily before he moved toward Vegeta. The Saiyan's expression looked rather grim and weighted. If the Saiyan was having bad thoughts, he was not expressing them easily. Moving to stare out the window, he looked past his reflection to the stars silently careening past.

Riker finally broke the silence once more. "We are on our way to Wolf 365 as we speak Sir. Is there anything else that you want done?" He hoped to bring the warrior to attention once more.

"Make sure the weapons are checked out, shields operating as normal, the usual routines. Lets make sure that when we get there, we have no malfunctions." Vegeta turned to face the two officers.

Picard only looked at him, astonished. "Are you turning coward?"

Vegeta's gaze turned fierce immediately. "Captain, I am anything but a coward. Cowards tuck tail and run at first sign of danger. They are the ones that fight dirty to try to just get the upper hand. Those are cowards, Captain. That is rather insulting to any Saiyan. I just lost a few soldiers out there already to this thing. If anything, they owe me a debt."

"Captain, permission to speak freely, Sir?" Riker turned, asking Picard.

"Granted, Number One." Captain Picard almost instinctually said.

"Sir, the Saiyans are of honor. Their Code of Honor are their laws, what they live by. Battle is what they train for and have adapted to." The Commander said.

Vegeta turned, listening as he summoned some cold water from the replicator. Grasping the glass, he took a drink and waited a moment turning back around. "Fact of the matter is, Captain, Saiyans would rather die in battle than to live under the heel of another race again. We have a distinct advantage over most of our enemies."

Picard looked at both of them then to Vegeta. "I heard about Frieza. Could you not speak to him about sparing your planet?"

"Delegations with him are a near impossibility. Either your entire race serves the Cold Empire as slaves, or your home, and everything you know and love are destroyed. Even as slaves, survival with him is not a guarantee." Vegeta replied with candor in his tone.

Riker only watched for a moment and then motioned for his Captain so that they could speak privately. Once they left the room, he found an empty passageway that they could speak in with relative privacy. "Captain, he is a very private person with his thoughts. The other Saiyans respect him as a fair and honest leader. I think we should give him benefit of the doubt. If things look too dicey, I'm pretty sure he'll tell us to back away from the battle field."

The Captain mulled over the information given. "Either way, we have to obey the orders from Starfleet Command, and they say that he is in charge right now of the armada. If his battle tactics are as good as his diplomacies, we may walk away from this."

Riker nodded, hearing a cough coming from across the corridor. The astonishment that Vegeta was right across from them briefly flashed across both faces of the Captain and Commander. "How did you know we were here?" Riker asked, stymied by the sudden appearance of the Saiyan King.

"I have the ability to sense life energy, remember? Once I meet a person and get a feel of their energy, I can easily distinguish it from others, much like a fingerprint but much more difficult to forge. I'm heading to the bridge. Come if you like. The other vessels are starting to come to the meeting point." Turning away from them, Vegeta began to walk from them, and as curiosity piqued the interest of the two officers, they would follow.

On the way up to the bridge, Vegeta tapped on the scouter. "All Saiyans out on the battle field come to rendezvous with the armada. Kakarrot, come to the Enterprise." The warrior spoke as the two listened.

Once they stepped off the turbolift, Kakarrot flickered into view on the bridge as well, lowering his hand from having had his index and middle finger upon his forehead. Looking to Vegeta, they shared a similar glance to each other. Worf grew curious to how he got on board the ship, but held his place at tactical. Goku spoke in a low tone, his brow furrowing a bit. "You feel it too don't you, Vegeta?"

Vegeta only nodded his head once in confirmation. A knowing thought between the both of them. Goku's expression grew grim as well as he turned toward the forward view screen. "Vegeta, we've never faced anything like this. In a way, its got me feeling excited."

"Kakarrot what level can you power up to?" Vegeta asked, taking into consideration that he and the other Saiyan next to him were the only ones capable of the transformations. His gaze never wavered from the forward view screen.

Goku looked over at Vegeta. "I can go to Super Saiyan God form Forgive me for asking Vegeta, but I know you have a plan. May I ask what it is?" Goku turned, raising a brow toward his King.

"Three pronged attack. However, if this doesn't work, we may have to pull the trump cards out." Vegeta said, keeping rather vague to what they were speaking of.

Kakarrot looked at Vegeta carefully, his gaze shifting again to the screen again as he stood a good head taller than the Saiyan King beside him.

Data looked up and then nodded. "We have arrived Sir, and I pick up several vessels already here. A couple Romulan and Klingon war birds, and there is also a few Cardassian ships as well. More appear to be coming into sensor range."

"Ensign, all stop, lets wait for the others to catch up. Are all systems ready for combat situations?" He asked the others.

"Perhaps we should try diplomacy first. Destroying another life is not what we do. We are explorers." Jean Luc tried to remind the King.

"Talk if you want but when they fire on us instead of negotiating, don't say I didn't warn you. In other words, you won't be able to get through to them. To them you're insignificant, something to be discarded like a piece of trash kicked to the curb." Vegeta coldly said as he looked back toward Picard. "I know this because I've tried it already, many years ago. The only thing that will satiate their thirst for power will be the decimation of not only the Saiyans, but also of the Galaxy."

The Captain did not know what to say about that. "Perhaps we should try again."

"There's enough proof in blood already. My people did not engage them first. That vessel did. If they wanted peace, Captain, they would have at least talked to my soldiers before they were killed. They would have spoken to the Cardassians before destroying their planet. Also the Borg would have been spoken to as well and instead they were integrated in not as a separate, free willed society, but as slaves to do the whim of their Master. Things are well beyond negotiations Captain. They want war." Vegeta ran down the list of things that had already happened. Now he stood, his eyes moving to the screen once more. Whatever was to come, he would face it head on.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

_**Beginnings of Combat**_

Vegeta stood at the forward view screen, his gaze settled on the vast armada of ships that had gathered. Turning around, the warrior looked to those behind him on the bridge. It looked as if he were taking every face, every vessel to memory. Returning to look at the view screen, a single voice came over the channel. "We await orders, King Vegeta."

A shiver ran down the Saiyan's spine. Whether it was from anxiety, nervousness, or excitement, he did not know. All Vegeta knew was in this moment, so many hearts beat in time with each other. The Cardassians, Ferengi, Romulans, Klingons, and Federation, shared a moment in time. Differences were cast aside for a singular purpose against an overwhelmingly powerful opponent. Vegeta looked downward briefly, his hands tightened to fists.

Looking up, there was grim determination. "Open the channel to all ships." He said before taking a deep breath. Everything rested on his shoulders, his command. If the weight had felt daunting before, it now seemed trivial in comparison to this moment in time.

"Channel is open, you are on screen to all other vessels, Sir." Worf reported back to the Saiyan warrior.

"This is King Vegeta, of the Planet Vegeta." It was a simple introduction, one that let them know who held the armada's attention. "For a brief moment in time, we gather here to face a challenge unlike any that has been faced before. We stand shoulder to shoulder in combat for the lives of those that have either perished or are being threatened. Our ways of life hang in the balance. Each of you have strengths that can be drawn upon. Together we make a nearly unstoppable force."

For a moment, there was silence. Even the hum of the ship seemed to abate into the background. He could almost feel the collective breath held as he continued. "Today, we go to combat. Each one of our different strengths make up for the weakness we held separately. It is my honor and privilege to fight along side each and every one of you this day. For those we have lost, for those we want to protect, and for the future of our races, its up to us. The time has come for us to engage in battle. All ships, shields up, arm all weapons. Federation, Klingons, to the right. Romulans, Cardassians, to the right. Ferengi, split up, take both wings. Saiyans, to the front in defensive formation."

A bustling of energy swept through the ships. The Enterprise took point as the two wings swept back like a massive stealth fighter jet. Each race took their positions, their shields raising, their weapons arming. The Saiyans drew toward the front as they took a two tiered approach for the base of the shielding ability.

Once things settled down again and everyone was in position, Vegeta turned toward the bridge crew, his gaze growing fierce as his black eyes burned with many years of combat. His experience with such things was unmatched by any other here. They had fought battles that took at most a fleet or two of ships, but this was different. Everyone knew it.

When the hailing frequency was turned off once more, Vegeta turned to the Ensign and nodded. "Warp seven, set a course to intercept the vessel. Engage."

The vessels moved as one, going to the directed speed and maintained proper distance from the others. Vegeta turned as he watched Picard stand up. "Sir, I believe this is your seat for now." The Captain allowed a flickering of a smile to the corners of his mouth as he gestured to the Captain's chair.

Slowly the Saiyan sat down in the seat, taking the reins of the ship and the armada. The Captain took the seat to the right as Riker sat on Vegeta's left. Glancing over to both of them, it just felt off to him being in this seat. Behind him, stood Worf at tactical, in front, Data was at Ops to the left hand, while Ensign Anderson took the helm on his right.

It was quiet, maybe too quiet, as they sped toward their destination. Hours passed as the warrior maintained a diligent sense lock on all the vessels though his own ability to sense life energy. It was the calm before the storm. Jitters were being felt by everyone, yet Vegeta remained calm, collected, his hand steady and quiet.

"I don't know if I can do this." The Ensign said in a tone just loud enough to be heard. Her hands trembling lightly.

Deanna looked over toward Vegeta as the warrior stood from the seat and moved next to her. His hand rested gently upon the shoulder of the Ensign. "Steady, Ensign. You're doing fine. Just focus on the here and now. Take a deep breath. You've done this countless times and you can do it again."

Ensign Anderson looked up toward Vegeta, seeing the confidence in her as she drew a deep breath, reflexively abiding his commands. The hand on her shoulder was steady, calming, even confident. She also felt the gentle strength like that of a blanket that enveloped her in that same assuredness that allowed her to calm as well. "Yes Sir. Thank you Sir." She said as she felt herself calm as well.

"Steady as she goes." Was all the Saiyan warrior said as he stood between the two. His gaze lifted to the view screen as he looked back over toward Data. "What planet are they near?"

"It is an unknown planet, Sir, at least to the Federation. We do not enter Cardassian space in respect of their wishes." Data replied as he tapped a few buttons on the panel.

"Very well then, what type of planet is it, and is it inhabited?" Vegeta asked.

"It is a Class M planet, Sir. Life signs are negative." Data answered dutifully to the inquiries.

Vegeta nodded and took a seat once more. "How long until we intercept?" With the calm confidence in his voice, it put everyone else at ease.

"We will rendezvous with the vessel in thirty minutes Sir." The android said back in his collected tone.

"Open hailing frequencies, Mr. Worf." The command was given in the same tone, down to business, yet quiet and steady.

"Frequencies open, Sir." The Klingon warrior said after tapping a couple places on his panel.

The King nodded before he stood up again. "Saiyans, defensive shields up. Klingons, Romulans, cloak and head toward the ship. Report when you are five minutes out. Ferengi, come to their void positions."

A flickering of a massive shield now flared up in front of the armada. Vegeta lowered his head lightly, but his gaze remained to the forward screen. He knew at least two parts of this thing very well. The Saiyan only watched before being brought from his thoughts by a chirping at communications. "Sir we are being hailed." Worf said as Vegeta looked up at the screen.

"On screen, Mr. Worf." Vegeta said patiently as the view screen flickered to life. Ahead of them sat a person, Vegeta knew all to well, his brow furrowing.

"Well if it isn't Vegeta. Your as powerless as your title. All hail Vegeta, Prince of no one." A cold voice replied back as the sleek form seemed to gloat lightly. "Coming to surrender, Vegeta? If you repledge your loyalty, we may forgive your misguided departure."

Vegeta stood quietly for a moment, his disdain and disgust both evident in his expression. Picard came to stand beside Vegeta as the Saiyan crossed his arms defiantly. "We've defeated you twice before Cooler, we'll defeat you again." Vegeta said just as coldly.

"Come back to serve me, Vegeta, as you should. The Saiyans are slaves to the Cold Empire. You should know that by now." Meta-Cooler said with little care or concern.

"I'd rather die than serve the Cold Empire again. If I'm not mistaken, Kakarrot defeated you once on Earth. He and I defeated you and the Big Gete Star on Namek. It seems you're the one that should be tucking tail and running unless you want me to kill you again." Vegeta replied with hatred in his voice.

Cooler only laughed. "You have what, a few toys? I have the Borg, the Big Gete Star, and the Cold Empire. You're outmatched in every way…Saiyan. Of course, your people were nothing more than a bunch of monkeys." His own expression turned serious.

Vegeta's tail tightened around his waist, but he did not falter. "Why would I ever be loyal to the one that destroyed the planet I was destined to rule?"

"You have to be, Vegeta. It will be the only way to save this Galaxy." The sleek metallic, humanoid figure replied if not a bit threateningly.

"I decide my own fate, no one else. As for the Galaxy's fate. I plan to put up one hell of a fight. Your days have passed Cooler. Return to your planet or face the consequences." Vegeta said as he maintained calm composure, not breaking his gaze from the red eyed villain that spoke to him. "Turn it off." No sooner had Vegeta mentioned the words, than the view screen went back to the scene of stars.

"Vegeta? What was that about?" Picard looked over to the Saiyan.

"Long story short, we were slaves to his brother, Frieza. Once we broke free of their grasp, we have been on their kill list. If I have to walk onto that ship and employ a self-destruct to save this Galaxy, I will." Vegeta tersely responded.

The Captain looked at him. "Serving him would not be that bad would it?"

"Captain, you run a pretty tight ship. You give punishment that fits the crime. Serving him, is nothing short of serving a tyrant. If a person under him so much as suggests something that he doesn't like, he'd kill them. Slipping from attention, not having the uniform on just right was a severe beating." Clinching his fists tightly, he turned to look at Captain Picard.

"It seems as though he would run out of soldiers if he kept doing that." Jean Luc said casually.

"That fear is what kept many from daring to even question them and forced them to pay attention. He would kill them all just to prove his strength." Vegeta turned to sit back down. "I am not going to return as slave to him. Never again will I be ruled by another."

Commander Riker listened, having seen the scars Vegeta had. The medical reports from the doctor when they had first met, also gave information to such treatment. Vegeta was a seasoned, veteran fighter. If he thought this individual was that tyrannical, he did not expect the Saiyan King to bend to Cooler's whim so easily. "Captain, we've seen the scars from his combat experience. How much of that though was from severe abuse and heavy handed disciplines?"

The warrior only listened for the moment as Picard replied. "I had not thought of that for some time, Number One." Jean Luc turned to his First Officer and then back to Vegeta. "Doctor Crusher was surprised by the extensive injuries sustained."

"Enough about me now. We should be focusing on what he stated. The Borg, the artificial intelligence of the Big Gete Star, and the Cold Empire have all come together. That means the armada should focus on the Borg aspect of the ship. We Saiyans will take care of the Big Gete Star and the Cold Empire." Vegeta's head turned to the side, a scowl deep on the brow.

"You have no intentions of negotiations do you?" Picard asked frankly.

"After hearing those terms? No, Captain, I don't. If I give myself over to them, that ship will come for the armada next. Once those ships are destroyed, they'd go after the planets here. Tell me, do you really want me to give myself over?" Vegeta snarled, aggravated by the mere notion.

"Then it seems we may be going to war." Picard looked at Vegeta. "What are our chances of survival?"

"Ask me that when the fight is over Captain. I make no presumptions." Vegeta replied tersely.

"Sir, we have hailing from the Klingons and Romulans. They have engaged in combat. They say we should be able to have them up on view screen now." Data interrupted as he touched a couple places and brought the ship on to the view screen.

As it came on screen, the warrior turned and his gaze narrowed, his head dipping just a bit before his fists tightly clinched. Again communications was brought up with Meta-Cooler. The cold disdain on the Ice-jin was prominent. "Vegeta, if you do not come over, I will destroy every planet in this quadrant. The deaths will be on your head. Submit and obey."

"Go to hell." Vegeta hissed back. "Meet me on the planet closest to you. I'd rather die than return to that hell hole you call a ship."

"That could also be arranged, monkey." Cooler sneered cruelly.

Once transmissions were completed, Vegeta turned to Kakarrot. "Keep a sense lock on me Kakarrot. If I fall, it will be up to you to lead these people to victory."

"Vegeta, I don't have to remind you what's at stake. Stay alive…okay?" Goku said gently to the seething warrior.

"Cooler is overconfident at this moment. That is his weak spot. The Big Gete Star adapts much like the Borg, but quicker. Weaknesses are automatically sent to the ship's main computers where it is analyzed, repaired, and improved upon. The Borg configurations also may slow that down because of the need to translate and integrate." As the Saiyan King turned around, he looked at the bridge crew once more. "Mr. Data, what are the conditions on the nearest planet near that ship?"

"It is similar to Earth, Sir, but the gravity is at thirty times Earth's Gravity. The planet is also barren, no life forms to worry about." Data answered.

"Good, that means I don't have to hold back. Since its only thirty times gravity, it'll be easy to maneuver in as well. Kakarrot, advise the Captain, but be ready to assist at any time. Captain, do you have suits to walk out on the hull of the Enterprise?" Vegeta asked quickly.

"Yes Sir, we do actually." Picard confirmed.

"Then that will be our plan. The armada takes out the Borg augmentations. Kakarrot, use your Kamehameha against the ship as well, but to unleash your full power you're going to have to be off the Enterprise enough to not damage the ship. Aim for the capacitors, and pour all the energy you have into them. I'll take out the Cold Empire and help where needed." Vegeta turned to head toward the turbolift at a quick pace.

Picard faced Goku, his interest piqued. "He plans to fight them single handedly? Is he on a suicide mission?"

"No, Captain." Goku said as the doors slid shut upon the turbolift, taking Vegeta to the shuttle bay. "Vegeta is a very powerful fighter in his own right. What you seen against the Cardassian ships, was a light skirmish. If he unleashes all his power, he could take out an entire planet with ease. Not only is he the King of Saiyans, but he has ascended beyond even my power."

It was just too hard to fathom for the Captain at this moment. "The Saiyans were called in on this mission. Does this mean it is a Universal threat?"

Kakarrot nodded. "Yes Captain, that is exactly what we are seeing out there. Once this is done, the Saiyans will retreat back into the Typhon Expanse and possibly not be heard from until another threat like this emerges. Every one severely underestimates Vegeta. He is a Master Tactician. If there is a way of returning people home alive, he'll find it."

"He has not said that we would win either." Picard reminded the taller Saiyan next to him.

"Vegeta does not want to get the hopes of everyone up only to fail them." Goku turned back toward the Captain and remained relatively at ease. "We have a distinct trait. I don't know if Vegeta has told you. In combat, the longer we fight, the stronger the opponent, the stronger we become. Its one thing that we try not to mention too much."

"What is your story? You don't seem as rigid or tense as Vegeta does." The Captain asked from amusement.

"That's because I was raised on Earth. The life me and Vegeta had are as different as night and day. He was raised under constant threat of death, harsh hands, and even more brutal conditions. I was raised in the back country by a Martial Arts Master. My Grandpa Gohan died when I was young, but I had friends, took up another Master in the Martial Arts, and lived a pretty carefree life." Goku seemed reminiscent on the thought. "Vegeta feels he owes a debt still."

"What kind of debt do you think it would be?" Commander Riker interrupted, his curiosity growing.

"Everything we have, we were given. If we needed food, shelter, water, whatever it may be, we got it. Vegeta has had to fight just to stay alive his entire life. He has not really talked much about what had happened while he was growing up. I did manage to see him once on Okanra. He was being hunted down as though he were nothing more than an animal. He had been told that if he didn't comply, that our home would be destroyed. He did everything he had been asked of and more, and our home was destroyed anyway, scattering the Saiyans across the Galaxy. I'm not sure what happened on Okanra, or in between. All I know is that if he feels he has to exact a debt, he will kill himself doing it if that is what it takes." Goku summarized in his brief history update.

"How does the Cold Empire play into all this?" Deanna joined in on the conversation.

"Frieza was the son of King Cold, and the one to destroy the original Planet Vegeta. I defeated Frieza in combat on the original Planet Namek. Cooler had gone to Earth once to exact his revenge on me for that, and I defeated him, throwing him into the sun. The Big Gete Star however seen fit to include what remnants there were into itself, incorporating him to its computers. He soon took control of the Big Gete Star. They traveled to Namek where Vegeta had met up with me long time ago and we both took out the Big Gete Star." Kakarrot pointed to the forward view screen where the monstrosity waited in seeming hesitation.

"I think that it would be pointless to die in order to pay a debt though." Picard stated rather abrasively to the idea.

"Do not judge him so quickly, Captain. Vegeta will fight to win at all costs. However, if it costs him his life to be victorious, he'll do it. He did that once with a creature called Majin Buu, and that was in vain. Vegeta has since become much more powerful. How powerful though, no one really knows." Goku stepped toward the officer bringing the space suit as he slipped it on, standing up to adjust it.

Picard looked over toward Goku and then nodded. He knew that soon they would have to engage and if they did this three pronged attack, it may have a better chance at succeeding. Turning to ops, he sat down in the Captain's chair and looked out. "Mr. Data, begin scans on the ship for the Borg augmentations and open a channel."

"Aye Captain. Communications are open." Data quickly complied with the orders.

"This is Captain Picard of the USS Enterprise. The time has come. We each know what our part of this battle is. Make it so!" The ships seemed to break away from each other in a chaotic pattern going this way and that. Soon, the area above the planet was lit up with phasers, lasers, photon torpedoes, disrupters, and many other types of weapons volleying through space.

As they neared the Big Gete Star, the Enterprise veered to the left, laying down the phaser fire before firing off a few photon torpedoes. As the Federation took point, the Saiyans would head in with them, each laying down a ki blast aiming for the capacitors and the other mechanics of the ship. They would be joined with the others, swooping, swerving, diving, and veering, their attacks like an angry swarm of bees.

The Romulans charged forward next, their disruptors quick on the trigger. It wasn't until they had the concerted effort of all the other ships that the armada finally started to have an effect on the Borg augmentations. The Saiyans began to do damage to the Big Gete Star. Then came the surprise as shields raised on the planet sized ship and blasts of energy started to careen back toward the ships.

Frustration grew as they drew back. Goku tapped on the comm badge upon the space suit. "Alright, everyone together. I'll throw the Kamehameha and you fire with all you have to the point of impact!"

"Ka…" Goku brought his hands together, at the heels on the vertical, his fingers in claw formation as he drew backwards alternating the form as he took a step forward. "Me….Ha…." Energy began to swirl around him, condensing and increasing in strength. "Me…." Kakarrot's hands thrust out before him as a blast, half the size of the Enterprise was launched forward. "HAAAA!"

With the single beam of energy, the warrior's blast hit the shields as it spread out, As Kakarrot held the blast in a continuous wave of energy, the other ships began to fire once more to add more fire power to the energy wave. The shields began to buckle and fade, flickering out as the alliances forged ahead. Their every move now had an effect. The Borg could adapt to the artificial energy blasts from phasers and photon torpedoes, but they lacked severely in the lower technologies and the natural energy that the Saiyan threw at them. There were no frequencies to adapt to.

Finally the Borg augmentations began to blow up. On each vessel, they cheered, the elation profoundly felt by each individual. They had succeeded in their battle, proceeding forth to aid assistance to the Saiyans to hopefully destroy the Big Gete Star. Then came the unexpected, and joy was turned to terror. The Big Gete Star began to enlarge, to expand the arms out like a large tentacled monster that would not quit.

As each person watched the ever growing ship, it soon shown it's full monstrosity. With each arm able to put multiple ships in each arm, it began to clamp down on the planet. Tremors kicked up violently on the planet. The sheer magnitude of what they were fighting finally began to sink in. This thing was able to take all their attacks and not even slow down. Their shields had been compromised. The vessel had been damaged, and yet it did not seem to matter. Things were about to go from bad, to worse.

"This is madness." Jean Luc whispered as he watched the ship begin to work on destroying the planet. Worse yet, he had the distinct feeling that the actual fighting had not yet begun.

"Sir, the ship has seemed to have expanded at least four times its original size and may still expand. It would be advised for a change of tactics." Data said as he gained the damage reports.

"Vegeta may not have thought of it's ability to expand." Picard said. The fire fight seemed to all but stop. What looked as an easy win, suddenly took a turn for the grim reality.

Goku came back inside, flickering in front of the bridge crew as he looked out at the forward view screen and watched momentarily. "We've seen this before. The only way to defeat it now, is on the inside. Alright Vegeta, we took out the Borg augmentations, now its your turn."

Picard looked at Kakarrot, standing beside him. Even the massive ship had ceased fire as it settled. The next part of the plan was now moving to kick in to action. The Saiyan that was beside him seemed to focus on the planet. "What's going on?" Picard inquired the taller Saiyan.

"Vegeta's about to unleash his true power. When that happens, we'll see the result from here. Tell all ships to clear away from the Big Gete Star. I have a sense lock on Vegeta's energy, and its starting to rapidly increase." Kakarrot reported.

"All ships move away from the Big Gete Star and await further instructions." Picard gave the order. The feeling of tense anticipation hung in the air. All eyes now were trained on the forward screens of each ship, watching, waiting. The collective breath held as no movement was made anywhere in eerie silence.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Chapter 15**_

_**Battle Precursors**_

Vegeta stepped from the pod amidst a shroud of dust, skimming across the horizon. As the tentacles of the ship began to settle upon the surface, he felt the trembling of the crust. The cracking and buckling, would then cause other parts to heave into the air. Feeing the earth cave beneath him, he hoisted into the air. With the gravity weighing on him, the warrior threw a few warm up kicks and punches, getting the feel of the added efforts to push through. Vegeta barely felt it, much like adding a five pound weight to each limb.

Taking a deep breath, Vegeta settled quietly, his head lowering as though listening to the surroundings around him. He could feel the energy of the planet around him as easily as one could feel the wind on their skin when it blew. So far, nothing was working. The ship had started to attack the alliance again. Maybe Cooler thought him insignificant. It was fine with the Saiyan King, knowing the less his opponent expected, the better a surprise assault would work.

Slowly the warrior relaxed, feeling the internal rage start to creep upward. None of his own energy would seep from his body, keeping it tightly in check. When the Saiyan felt the higher power ascending upon him, he reached up and removed the crown piece. His head tuned at the tell-tale sound of the transporters beaming a couple people down. The gravity nulling inserts in their shoes would offset the planet's gravity.

Turning his head forward again, Kakarrot was next to come to the scene, backing the away team off a good distance. "You don't want to be around when he powers up. Get low to the ground and don't move." Goku pressed down lightly on their shoulders, nudging them down.

Once the way was clear, Vegeta widened his stance, his arms locked in a ninety degree angle. With his head tucking, he closed his eyes as a blue aura flared up. On the horizon a dark, ominous cloud began to swirl about, cracking with lightening and thunder. Winds picked up and grew to almost tornado speeds around the Saiyan King.

As the warrior King remained, he went to level two Super Saiyan, but this was not yet done. His golden hair and green eyes, changed. The aura was blue and the eyes would fade to pure white. Whatever form he was taking, began to have an effect on the planet around him. The ground shifted, buckling, twisting, heaving, as though it drew its own breath. Rocks would lift into the air, before they spiraled around, slamming into the ground at rapid pace.

"I can't feel his energy, which means, he's beyond Super Saiyan status. How powerful he is now, is anyone's guess." Goku shouted above the heavy roll of thunder.

Riker, Worf, and Data were down on the ground, the boulders they had taken shelter behind only served as a buffer against the increasing winds. Much to their surprise, they were hoisted fifty feet in the air, the ground lifting as a new mountain range began to form across the land. As that land rose, the ground around Vegeta collapsed. "This is insane! There's no way his body can withstand that much power. He has to stop." Riker called out to Goku.

"No, there is no stopping this form. I've been to the level of Super Saiyan God form, but this…this is beyond anything like that. If we want to win, he has to do this. All his life he's wanted to prove himself to everyone around him. He needs this, and no one is making him do it. We have to trust in his judgment. Nearing him right now would be suicide."

The four of them watched as Vegeta seemed to settle into his position, his arms lowering. Turning his head lightly, he could hear them talking, feel where they hid. The warrior quietly moved toward the ship, every step cracking the ground beneath him. Lightning crackled in an aura as though shielding him from whatever may come. Lifting into the air, he slowly headed toward the Big Gete Star. He could feel Meta-Cooler's thoughts. He could hear the Borg's collective mind.

Vegeta was no more. In his stead was the God of Wrath, a power that had yet to have his full power measured. He could feel the earth within the metal used for its hull, and with a clinch of the hand, would summon it to collapse in on itself. It caught the attention of Meta-Cooler quickly, especially when no power level could be read. This was beyond anything they had noticed before.

"So the monkey decided to show up. Surrender to me, Saiyan, and the attacks stop." The sleek metal figure cruelly grinned.

No words came from Wrath. The air hung with a deafening silence. It seemed as though the warrior King contemplated what was being said. A harsh wind began to pick up, the air condensing around him to draw out the moisture. Collecting into small pools, the water would freeze, forming sharp shards of ice. Then in a frenzy they sliced through the air around him, ripping through the very fabric of reality.

Vegeta stepped closer. The ice began to bombard the metal figure before the warrior, causing the casing to shred. A lifting of his right hand slowly moved into position, directed straight at Meta-Cooler. "You try to adapt. Lives to you have no meaning. Many have suffered under your heel. Now they cry for justice and vengeance. You cannot adapt to me." The words sounded as though they were a thousand voices, whispering from the air itself. It was more felt than heard.

Riker and Worf watched in slack jawed disbelief. What was happening was beyond imagination. Vegeta could have easily wiped out the Cardassian ships in a single shot if he had wanted to when they first met. The danger of what he had changed to was starting to sink in. It was no wonder the Saiyan always tried to maintain the utmost degree of discipline. Now they were witnessing something that may not be seen again by any other person. "What happened? What form is this?" Riker asked Goku.

"Vegeta is now the God of Wrath. This is a most dangerous form, a trump card if you will. Cooler is about to find out the hard way how lethal this form can be. Even I have only heard him mention this form. I have never seen it." Kakarrot said as the world around was upended in turmoil. The warrior looked at Vegeta, his arm crossing over his face as he ducked back down.

A blinding flash of light emanated from the Saiyan King. Then came the eerie silence. It was the calm before the storm. The darkened skies swirled above, the funnel clouds forming. However there was no wind to speak of. Lightning came down to feed into the aura around Vegeta even as the ground had become smooth, the crater around him measured nearly a mile in diameter. In the middle stood the single warrior, one that had been underestimated the entire time.

Up in space, the battle continued on. Swooping in close, the Enterprise let off a couple photon torpedoes, only to be met with a devastating glancing blow. The ship was hurled a thousand kilometers away from the Big Gete Star. The other vessels had been flung shortly after to an equal distance. What had looked to be an easy fight was suddenly turning into a bitter battle to survive.

Picard looked out at the Big Gete Star. In truth, they had never fought anything like this before. It was one of the moments he was glad that there were a couple Saiyans to help in this fight. "Tactical, report." There was a touch of annoyance that they could not solve this like any other confrontation they had before.

"Sir, we have suffered a direct impact on our left nacelle. Some light to heavy injuries have been reported. There are no visible weaknesses yet in this vessel." The Lieutenant Commander gave his report noting the irritance of his Captain. "The other ships report the same thing."

"This ship is beyond anything we have seen or fought before. I don't see what plan Vegeta has for us to continue. Picard to Riker." The Captain tapped on his comm badge.

"Riker." Will replied instinctively.

"What does Vegeta have planned, Commander?" Picard's voice crackled through. The energy around the area made it hard to understand, but it was getting through at least.

"Vegeta just transcended in to something we have not seen before Captain. I would hold position. Whatever he's about to unleash is going to be enormous to say the least, Captain." Riker responded dutifully. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing anyway. He did not know how to report the magnitude of this transcending in words that could be described.

Goku held out a device in his hand. "This is a special camera. You can use this to send images back to the armada and it will also be documented on Planet Vegeta." He was glad that he had the thought to place it in the small brown pouch he kept tied to his belt that wrapped around his waist.

Riker took hold of it even as Data came up to the device. After a brief examination, they would tap the console and allowed it to begin transmitting up to the armada. The depth and magnitude of the ground battle was about to be shown in full force. At the heart of the massive crater stood Vegeta, alone. Where Meta-Cooler had gone to was anyone's guess.

The battle in space came to a halt, the ships beginning to repair their damage. Down on the surface of the planet however, the intensity was so thick it could be cut through easily with a knife. Vegeta stood quietly before a glint of blue flickered in the distance. Only then did the Saiyan move, turning toward the oncoming threat. As that entity moved closer to Vegeta, the Saiyan seemed to vanish.

Goku looked up and when the officers noted where he was looking, they too looked upward. Above the planet was a massive ball of energy. The purple hue to the sphere glimmered off the blue steel of his opponent. Not only did the Saiyan watch his every movement, but had already formed an attack to be used at any given moment. More, Vegeta was not using anything other than his hands.

Picard stood, seeing the brief glisten of energy flickering above the planet as he stepped closer. "What is that thing?" He asked just above a whisper.

"We have live feed from the planet, Captain. Its being transmitted to whomever wishes to view it, Sir." Ops stated in an almost monotonous tone.

"On screen. Lets see what is going on." The Captain said as it was brought up on the forward screen.

The Romulans, the Klingons, Ferengi, other Federation ships, and the Cardassians all brought up the feed together. What they seen was nothing short of jaw dropping. As Cooler was charging forward, the Saiyan King's expression would only show a furrowing of the brow before they heard him speak. "Leave now, before I decide to kill you."

Meta-Cooler only chuckled. "A mere monkey cannot possibly defeat me."

"Run away, Cooler. Vegeta will launch that thing." Goku stated just above the din of the winds and hum of the energy. His own brow was tightly furrowed.

"Last warning Cooler, leave, and never return. If you stay, I will kill you." Vegeta called out to him again. The warrior was not bluffing. Riker could see it as clear as day. Cooler did not break stride, marching to what was sure to be his demise.

Cooler only laughed. "I suppose I would have killed you anyway, Saiyan. The others will serve as my slaves once you're out of my way."

As Meta-Cooler continued his approach, Vegeta's posture changed. His hands drew back, his spine arching gracefully. One knee bent at a ninety degree angle, as the other leg kicked out behind. In that moment, Vegeta threw his hands in an arc to stop in front of him. His body would straighten out as he called out. "Galick Gun!"

The energy orb moved, and rather rapidly. Careening toward it's target, Meta-Cooler would try to dodge it, but seemed to move in slow motion as the span of a couple seconds passed. The Saiyan and the Ice-jin were living now between seconds. Time stood still as the orb continued its course to collision. Vegeta focused intensely. Then right before it made contact, the warrior let out a cry.

Contact was made, the ground splintering in cracks and crevasses. The planet itself heaved and collapsed, seeming to breathe, as the two fought. Cooler had his hands on one side of the orb, and the Saiyan was still in the air, his hands forward as he pushed the orb ever further. Vegeta growled, the Ice-jin struggling to remain standing, pressed to the ground. The Saiyan King drew back his right hand as his left hand held the ball in place. Another ball of energy formed and was pressed into the main attack.

Cooler groaned under the attack, his arms giving under the pressure only to be pressed to the ground when the second energy wave struck. Everyone held their breath as the blinding energy made contact with this metal figure. With both hands on the attack, the sustained energy wave was emitting a massive amount of power. Winds kicked out in every direction. The lightning around him crashed and cracked. Even then, the bolts lent their power to the attack, guided to their target.

Drawing back just so his elbows bent at ninety degrees, Vegeta pressed forward, even his position lowered toward Cooler's position. Another burst of energy found its way down the ki wave and put more power against the cybernetic figure. Cooler disappeared in a flash of blinding radiant energy and heat before finally the energy wave was released, leaving the warrior King to watch the dust cloud that had formed. With a sweep of his hand though, it cleared from the area.

Cooler stood up, but he was in pieces. Cables and fiber optics were stretching out to try to repair the damage when Vegeta summoned the ice shards to mix with the dust. Vegeta allowed it to swirl about Cooler, shredding the vulnerable spots as he was finally and utterly destroyed. It would have to be enough to buy them time.

Vegeta looked over at Goku. "Kakarrot, take your place."

Goku thought for a moment before raising a brow. "Vegeta, that only worked last against Majin Buu. It didn't work against Lord Beerus. What makes you think it will work now?"

"Lets just say I have faith in the armada and their people. We won't just take a little bit. We'll take as much as they can possibly give." Vegeta said as he fully faced him.

"The maximum, eh? Alright, lets do it." Goku said as he lifted up into the skies. His hands came above his head as his feet spread apart in an almost spread eagled formation.

Vegeta watched and when he was in place, the King spoke to the entire armada. "The time has come. Everyone, raise your hands up and offer your energy. Think of this as a way where we can all get rid of this threat once and for all. We will be launching the Spirit Bomb."

Riker stood up watching and listening. He wondered what the Spirit Bomb was, but the warrior stood in an almost defensive guard position. They did not want another threat to come their way, protecting Kakarrot. He watched as a small orb of energy formed above Goku and continued to grow. Finally, he raised his hands up, more out of curiosity than anything else. Then he felt the drawing of his strength drain from him. In that moment the orb above Goku grew ever larger.

Riker panted, but other than feeling as though he had run a mile or two, he was fine. He sat down and nodded, tapping his comm badge. "Its safe. They take only what you can spare. It feels as though I just ran a couple miles." A smile crept to Riker's face as he watched.

The crew members upon each vessel looked over at each other. The Federation was first to comply, their energy combined added a good portion of size to the orb. As the energy was taken, so too did the others begin to offer a portion of their own. As it continued to grow, King Kai would begin to solicit other near by planets to join in on the effort.

As the Cardassians on the second planet began to offer their own, so too did the rest of the Cardassian Empire. The Romulans were not far behind. Their own people began to raise their hands and as their energy was taken, the Klingons followed suit. They did not wish to be left out of this attack. Though the Ferengi grumbled, they too soon added their own strength to the ever enlarging orb over Kakarrot's head.

Vegeta grinned, his fist clinching as he watched it grow. The Saiyans would then add their own, the Spirit Bomb growing exponentially. "Yes, that's right, keep it coming." Vegeta said as Worf and Data would add their own. In the span of a few moments, the Spirit Bomb was massive. Then the energy was summoned from the very planet, the stars even began to give their energy. From distant planets in the quadrant, the life energy began to collect and speed toward the singular attack. It was a matter of ten minutes before the attack was even significant enough to launch.

Goku grinned. "Alright! That's great! Vegeta, its ready!"

Vegeta nodded and looked to the Big Gete Star. "Got it. Kakarrot, aim it to the center of the Big Gete Star!" He shouted over the high winds. The dust in the air was thick and heavy. A grittiness folded in on itself as Vegeta added a final touch to the attack. A shielding of ice, lightning, and white hot fire careened around the attack. "Fire that thing, Kakarrot!"

The Saiyan warrior turned and with a dropping of his hands, he would cry out. "Spirit Bomb!"

At first the attack seemed slow, but as it covered the distance, it picked up. When it touched the surface briefly, it would carve a fifty foot wide trench nearly thirty feet deep and more, it was only the very bottom that had scraped. Vegeta and Goku worked in tandem, both pushing forward their part of the energy blast along with the elements.

When the blast touched the ship, it created heavy damage. A massive explosion rocked the very ground they stood on. Shockwaves made the very atmosphere of the planet ripple as Goku and Vegeta hit the ground, lying flat. Boring into the side of the vessel it began to explode. Vegeta tapped on the comm badges. "Now! Everyone unload everything you have on to that vessel!"

A show of phasers, lasers, photon torpedoes, disruptors, and other weapons volleyed at the severely damaged craft as Vegeta stood back up against the sheering winds. Turning to face it head on, he spread his arms wide, lifting upwards, his teeth grit. Groaning under the strain, a part of the planet heaved upwards, violently before he pushed down with his hands. The collapse was sudden before he took a step forward.

Reeling from the bucking planet beneath, Cooler, the Borg, and the Big Gete Star were being dealt a severe hand. The ship itself was beginning to sheer in half, lifting from the planet even as Vegeta growled and ran forward. "No you don't. You won't escape this." The King muttered under his breath in disgust.

Vegeta clinched his fist and condensed the air around the arms of the Big Gete Star and with a slicing motion began to use the sheering winds to cut it in half completely. Then as the warrior was able to see the inside, the Saiyan King began to let the air condense in the ship itself. The heaviness of the water in the very atmosphere began to form droplets on the electronics causing them to spark and crackle, setting off a chain reaction of explosions.

Worf watched as the Saiyan King charged forward. It was not a sight even the mighty Klingons had seen before. Out matched, out gunned, and not a prayer of winning, this lone warrior had come up with a plan that just may work. He watched as Vegeta and Goku fought with the same grit, determination, and honor that they had spoken of. A new respect was earned by the Saiyans from him at least.

As the ship began to lift off the planet, Vegeta watched, his tail coming off his waist as it lashed back and forth. The Saiyan's arms then began to push away from each other as he again took the near spread eagled position and charged up his own attack once more. The stage had been set. He drew up the energy he had left and focused it. The earth rose and began to whip about him as he drew his hands together once more. As the blast turned into an orb, he launched the Final Flash once more. Careening toward its target, the warrior directed the beam to the weakest point.

Colliding with the planet sized ship, now in two pieces, the vessel began to flicker and flash. Then in one cataclysmic explosion, the Big Gete Star exploded. All other entities taken with it as the final shockwaves ripped through space. The two Saiyans though stood very still, alert, as though trying to determine if there was anything left to worry about.

Once the stillness quieted down, Vegeta wavered for a moment before falling upon his back, his chest heaving. The attacks had taken everything out of him. Goku stood, walking toward Vegeta. "That was some fight." Goku gave the classic thumbs up to denote victory on their part as he broke in to a grin.

The warrior king sat up, his shoulders drawn inward as the dust and dirt settled. Looking out at the ground, it was barely recognizable from when they had started. Riker, Data, and Worf also moved to Vegeta where Riker raised a brow. "Did we do it? Is it over?"

Vegeta's eyes seemed to shine a bit more proudly. No words were needed to confirm that they had won. Slowly the Saiyan caught his breath and then finally stood back up, though his legs felt like jelly, his arms like lead. The torn combat suit only a testimony to the Saiyan's endurance. Cuts and scrapes ravaged his smaller form, but Vegeta did not seem to take notice of them. Riker finally tapped the comm badge. "The battle is won."

Celebrations broke out on the ships above, but Vegeta hardly seemed to take on the temperament of the joyful attitude that was now in abundance. Turning around, Vegeta looked to Goku when the orange and blue clad Saiyan raised a brow. "This was a battle, but not the war. Vegeta what are you trying to suggest?"

"Use your head Kakarrot. Those three would not normally band together. Something larger may be ahead." Vegeta said quietly. "Let them celebrate for now, they've earned it. We have to prepare and train for the next confrontation."

Goku reached his hand up behind his head and only gave a smile. "Vegeta, that could have been the war itself. You're always expecting combat. Why not enjoy the peace for once?"

"I can't Kakarrot, and you know why." Vegeta replied before dusting off a bit.

"Yeah, I know, Vegeta. However, it may do you good to actually relax for once. Even a king has to take a day off on occasion." Goku said, offering a hand before watching Vegeta cross his arms.

Riker, Worf, and Data came closer. Each of them placed a hand on Goku, then finally Vegeta would place his own hand on the other's shoulder. Raising a couple fingers to his forehead, they would all be back on board the Enterprise bridge where they looked around. Goku and Vegeta stared at each other briefly before Picard walked up, shaking their hands. "An impressive showing of power and strength. We would be happy to ally ourselves with the Saiyan Empire, if that is something you want, Your Highness."

Vegeta looked at him. "Perhaps delegations could be surmounted, Captain, but at this moment, I'm going to get into a shower and wash up. Delegations can wait for at least a day or two I would think." Vegeta returned the handshake, but there was an exhaustion on it that the Captain had never felt before.

"Of course. Report to sick bay and have Doctor Crusher tend the injuries." Picard instinctively said to Vegeta.

Vegeta nodded and went to his quarters first, grabbing the Starfleet uniform that Picard had given him while he had been in the exchange program. Then heading down to sick bay, the warrior sat upon the table as he removed the top revealing that chiseled form. It was not long before the warrior's wounds were healed, but something else stirred deep within him. The unease would not be put to rest so easily.

Doctor Crusher finally nodded and put her tricorder away as well as the medical equipment that allowed her to heal the wounds. Before he departed though she called out. "Vegeta, you know something we don't. Your expression tells me that."

Turning at the door, the warrior King only looked at her and gave a light grin. "Thank you doctor for the treatment. Enjoy your celebrations." It was all that was said before the warrior walked from the room, leaving Beverly in confusion. Maybe it was just the exhaustion that she had noted on him. However, she pondered if it could be something more.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Chapter 16**_

Vegeta meandered the passageways through the Enterprise, his brow knit lightly as he turned around to see what sound was made. When nothing was there, he paused a moment before shifting lightly, resuming his course back to the room he was given. Taking a deep breath, the warrior could not help but wonder if it was in fact really over. That nagging feeling took hold, like a lion on red meat, not letting him go, sinking ever deeper.

"Something's not right." Vegeta said quietly. "That was almost too easy." The warrior muttered under his breath as the doors to his room cycled closed. Could he have gotten that strong where threats now seemed more petty? This one did take all of them to defeat, but still something did not set right with him. There was nothing that the warrior wanted.

Changing into the red and black Starfleet uniform again, the warrior took the time to stand in front of the mirror, putting the three pips on the collar. He checked the spacing, the height, the alignment, making sure it was nothing short of perfection. Then taking the comm badge, he put that on as well, making sure the tip of the symbol pointed straight up. Tugging at the back of the shirt, he would make sure the black points on his shoulders sat in the center on his shoulders.

There was nothing that the warrior could really do or say at the moment when he heard the door chime once more. Turning around he lowered his hands. "Enter." The Saiyan King said as Riker walked in, holding the crown piece.

Will lifted his hand and nodded, offering the crown piece back to him again. "That was some fight wasn't it?"

"Everyone did well on that. We suffered only minor losses because of the cooperation. I take the other races went back to their sectors?" Vegeta asked as he brushed off the pants just a bit. He paid attention to detail quietly listening before he gently took the crown piece from the Commander and placed it on his forehead, situating it so that it sat perfectly. The black hair hid the edges that tucked behind the ear. He ran his fingers through his hair as he fixed the appearance. "Thank you for bringing it back to me."

Commander Riker only nodded once. "They claimed that the brief truce was now over and they headed back. The Cardassians though are searching for a new home. They're thinking of calling the planet they were taken to, Cardassia Four." Watching the Saiyan straighten everything out, he only grinned. "You're welcome. I feel as though we have gotten to know each other pretty well. I would like to consider you a friend."

Raising a brow, he turned around and looked at him. "Friends are something in short supply for me. My trust is not easily earned, and with good reason. Once that trust is gained, I am an all or nothing person. I give everything I have into whatever is deemed worthy. Nothing is given if shown to be shameful or too petty for my attention. I've also been known to be rather proud and tempered. I am also extremely loyal to those that earn that trust. Break it though and that trust is very hard to earn back."

"I've noticed. Those around you really look to you as their leader, even Goku. He was impressed by your strength by the way, as was everyone else. I'm glad you have the discipline to control it." Riker commented gently, seeing the Saiyan heave a deep breath before poking a hole in the slacks and allowed his tail to come out and wrap around his waist like a thick furred belt.

Vegeta had only lifted his arms lightly to allow the tail to wrap lightly. Even with it, the uniform looked as though it was very sharp. Taking a moment, he nodded. "Kakarrot can be easily impressed with anyone that nears his strength and does not realize it. He was born in to the third class Saiyan ranks. Retesting put him up into the Super Elites, though like Nappa, his intelligence sometimes lacks."

Will lightly chuckled. "Anyway, the Captain wants you to report to the bridge when you're ready. How are you feeling?"

The Saiyan King only tipped his head lightly from one side to the other. "My energy is slowly returning, but that is only normal after that kind of battle. Food is more what I'm interested in. I'll report to the Captain first and then get something to eat."

As the Commander listened, he nodded as Vegeta turned to face him. Then both would walk to the door. The warrior and Will kept stride with each other as though someone were keeping cadence. However, the Saiyan stopped and turned, looking again back down the passageway, his brow knitting. "I must be more tired than I thought. I could swear I heard something behind us." There was a touch of agitation in Vegeta's tone.

"I'm not hearing anything." Riker said stopping to look back as well. Looking back to Vegeta, he would again begin walking with him. "Maybe its just battle fatigue."

"This is the second time I've heard it, almost like something or someone is following. I also have a feeling of unease too. The battle seemed to easily won. However, I don't want to rouse warning until I figure out what's going on." Vegeta tersely commented.

Will listened, stepping into the turbolift with them. "Bridge." He said before turning his attention to Vegeta. "The Captain said your senses are extremely keen. Are you able to detect life energies around you?"

"Just your's at the moment. I'll have to meditate to see if there's something else going on." Vegeta replied confidently.

The rest of the ride up to the bridge was in silence. The hum of the lift, whispering as the lights flashed indicating the floors. With the opening of the doors, the two stepped out onto the bridge. Riker immediately went to the First Officer's chair as Vegeta remained standing at the door. Picard motioned to the chair to his left where Vegeta moved to sit down.

"Counselor Troi will be on another mission at the time. You seem the second most viable choice with your abilities to sense life energies, and pick up on things that we may not know of. If you want to take that position for the time, it would be appreciated." Captain Picard said as though having little doubt to the reply the Saiyan would give.

Vegeta only nodded, but his attention seemed elsewhere at the moment. He just could not shake the feelings that he had, wrestling them down for the moment as he took a deep breath. Crossing his legs in the chair he sat upon, he relaxed, his eyes closing as he let his senses reach out to every corner of the Enterprise. The King could feel each and every person, where they were going, their distinct life energy signature, and more. However something else, something larger was catching his attention.

Picard looked over at Vegeta as the Saiyan looked as though he had fallen asleep. Turning to Riker, he hooked a thumb in Vegeta's direction, not saying a word at the moment. He knew his First Officer could read the perplexity on his expression. Then he watched as the tail came off his waist and flicked a couple times at the tip.

Commander Riker only nodded. "I think he's trying to focus on the energies on board. He mentioned that he heard something behind him twice today. He mentioned a meditation. What he's trying to sense out though I don't know."

Vegeta's gaze snapped open and his feet and hands braced just a couple seconds before the ship lurched forward, rocking and stopped. Once the jolting had stopped, The Saiyan took a deep breath and again relaxed. The warrior's expression though did not seem any less at ease. "Excuse me, Captain. May I speak with you privately for a moment?"

Picard nodded and both headed toward the Ready Room. The room was cozy, a wooden desk was in the center. A couch sat along the wall by the door with two chairs at the desk facing the Captain's chair. "Tea, Earl Gray, hot." Picard summoned from the replicator. Moments later the warrior watched as the Captain took the cup of tea. "As you were, Mr. Sama. Would you like anything, Vegeta?"

"Cold water please." Vegeta replied, feeling the thirst and hunger starting to set in.

"Water, thirty-three degrees." Picard said as the water appeared with a swirling of energy. However this very thing caused Vegeta to raise a brow, possibly of recognition. Jean Luc held the glass out for him to take.

Vegeta took the glass and nodded. "Thank you, Captain." He said as he stood more at ease. "Sir, permission to speak freely?"

"Of course, what's on your mind Mr. Sama?" The Captain replied with ease, sitting down and gesturing to the chair across the desk from him.

"Sir, I think this ship is trying to communicate something. Twice now I've heard something behind me that no one else around is aware of. However, a nagging feeling has been plaguing me. I went briefly into meditation and felt the source of the said energy. Sir, I think the Enterprise may be starting to form some intelligence." Vegeta knew it sounded crazy. After all, it was almost beyond imagining at the moment.

"Captain, we seem to have nodes appearing in the conduits and relays. We're not sure what is going on, but it's strange." Geordi La Forge's voice came over the comm badge.

"Understood, Mr. La Forge. Continue with observations and see if you can figure out what its about." Jean Luc replied before raising a brow at Vegeta.

"Well I'm not about to second guess a person that can pick up on these subtle energies. Take a walk around the ship, see if you detect anything. I'll follow with and see if we can't get to the bottom of this. Why though would the Enterprise be starting to come alive? That does not seem very likely." Picard asked in light of the news he had been receiving.

"The ship is not unlike a person in many way's Captain. Data, even the ship has their own quirks, which make up a distinct personality in both. The computers act as it's memory, the holodeck the brain where things are processed, the Jefferies tubes act like blood vessels. Your Engineering department acts like antibodies. The bridge is the heart. When you think of that, it is not too far of a stretch to think that it could come alive, Captain. People also act as its conscience." Vegeta laid out his thought processes on it.

Once it was described in that manner, he nodded lightly. "I suppose it is possible for the ship to come alive isn't it? With us though, it can't afford to be rid of us, so it works with us instead. This is a very intriguing concept. Let's see if your theory is correct then."

Both walked onto the Bridge once more and Picard had Riker take command of the Bridge while Vegeta and Jean Luc stepped onto the turbolift. Vegeta seemed to again focus once more as he stepped off. The Saiyan walked in step with the Captain as they strolled around the floor. Before too long, the King felt that nagging feeling once more, hearing that sound once more. He stopped turning, looking back at the passageway they had just come through.

"Something there?" Captain Picard keyed into the Saiyan's alerted stance.

"You did not hear that?" Vegeta turned and moved to the panel and then crouched down. Gently Vegeta removed the panel to find a node in there then looked back to the Captain who now crouched beside him.

"It seems your hearing is much more keen than ours' as well. Your development as warrior race may attune you to these sounds that we cannot hear.

The both of them looked at the pulsing orb of energy in the panel as it began to form interconnecting wires and connections. Then as the light faded, it took on it's own form. There was nothing that they recognized. Vegeta placed the panel back on and then stood up. "Computer, could you run a diagnostic on the Enterprise and let me know if the Enterprise is developing a positronic network?"

Though it was only a few seconds, they seemed to tick by like hours. "Affirmative. The Enterprise systems are creating a positronic network. Intelligence is growing." The pleasant, calm tone of the computer responded.

Jean Luc raised a brow once more. "Your theory seems to have validation to it, Vegeta. Why do you think it chose now to start forming this new intelligence?"

"It could be that the last battle gave it what it needed. It shown the way in which it could defend itself against potential attacks from the outside." Vegeta said before looking to the panel beside him again. "Computer, what relationship will this new life have with the people already on board this vessel?"

"It is a necessary relationship, symbiotic in nature." The computer replied.

Vegeta nodded once more. "Does it trust the crew?"

"Affirmative. The computer does trust the crew. It has analyzed the interactions and has noted that the people on board serve a vital and necessary task. The computer will allow normal operations of the vessel and not intercede." She replied in her pleasant tone.

The Captain only watched momentarily before speaking. "Computer, did you intentionally alert Commander Vegeta Sama to your presence while hiding it from all others?"

"That is affirmative. It was unknown how the crew and people on board would react to this new life form. Data entries indicate Vegeta to be a level headed and open minded in the possibilities." The computer replied.

Vegeta exchanged glances with the Captain, before the warrior knit a brow. "May I ask what the jolt was for?" The Saiyan's expression did not change from it's demeanor.

"It was one of very few ways that the ship could alert you that the Enterprise is nearing it's completion to being a fully realized life form. From here on, the computer will refer to itself on first person basis." The computer announced.

"Then we must treat the Enterprise with the same respect as any living entity. I never cease to be amazed at your ability to pick up on such things, Vegeta." Picard smiled at the King of Saiyans.

"Sensing such energies comes with the trade, Captain." Vegeta said as he stood in the middle of the corridor. The Saiyan warrior only looked to the panel and then back to Picard. There was little else for him to do, but finding out did alleviate some of the pit in his stomach. However, it did not relieve it altogether. It was still something that he quelled deep within.

With a hand placed on Vegeta's shoulder, the Captain turned and moved back toward the turbolift. "Does that take care of that unease?"

"Not fully, Captain, but it does some. There's just something else out there that I'm feeling is not right. That battle was too easy. It should have taken longer." Vegeta mentioned off the cuff.

Turning around, Picard gave Vegeta his attention, the brow knit as well as he caught the seriousness on Vegeta's expression. "All sensor readings had indicated that the ship was destroyed along with those running it."

"I know Captain, it was just too quick of a fight. I expected heavier casualties, more of a battle. It was almost too easy. That's the part that makes me uneasy. Something of that magnitude taken down by a few shots? It just doesn't set right with me." Vegeta voiced his concerns, hesitating, even stopping.

"Maybe you've just become that powerful Vegeta. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Picard tried to ease the unease of the Saiyan.

The warrior shook his head ruefully. "No Captain, its not as easy as that. If that ship was an artificial life form, it should have adapted much easier to our attacks than it had. What if that destruction was just a ploy to get rid of us so that it could continue taking out other planets and such?"

This bemused the Captain as he listened, folding his arms in contemplation. "You really think the battle is not over?"

"No Captain, I don't. That was one vessel. Impressive in size yes, but it adapts and if it takes every weakness and corrects it when its exposed, there is no way this fight could be over. This may be a respite for all we know." Vegeta stood before him, his hands lightly brought behind his back.

Nodding, he watched the warrior momentarily. If he had learned anything, it was that Vegeta was a Tactical Genius when it came to battle. The Saiyan King also seemed to be aware of things before they happened, thanks to his keen sensing abilities. "Let's hope for the best, that it is over for now." Tapping on the comm badge, Picard spoke to the senior staff of the crew. "All senior officers, we will have a meeting at 1800 hours."

It would give them a good three hours before they had to report. Then once more the ship lurched forward again. Vegeta caught the Captain before he could fall, and stabilized their footing. Once the shaking stopped, Picard stood a bit straighter once more. "Good reflexes. I'm glad you have stable footing even in the shaking of the ship."

The Saiyan nodded only once, his tail wrapping back around his waist. "I had practice in standing firmly when the ground gives and quakes beneath me, Captain."

"Vegeta, have you ever thought of going into Starfleet? We certainly could use someone of your expertise to help out the Federation." Picard laid down the offer.

"I have an entire Empire to run, Captain. Its hard enough running a race of Universal Warriors. We could talk of an alliance however. I'm sure the Federation would not mind that at least." Vegeta spoke, looking to the doors of the turbolift as they opened.

The Captain could only imagine the difficulties in running the Empire like that. From what he'd seen, it was very well maintained, and discipline was of the highest standards. No one questioned when they got an order from Vegeta. In fact, they did not even give complaints when he gave a command. "Your people certainly are very interesting, Vegeta. They are a very orderly, and disciplined people. What do the Saiyans do for fun and entertainment?"

Vegeta turned momentarily to face him before he released a deep breath. "I would suppose its not too different than humans, at least those of us that get to enjoy such things."

This caught the Captain off guard. "When was the last time you had enjoyed entertainment?"

Slowly shrugging, Vegeta glanced back toward Jean Luc. "I'm not sure when the last time was. I believe the last time I actually had fun was when I was just a young kid. Some people don't have time for, or worse, were never permitted to have fun, Captain. When life is kill or be killed, you learn quickly that play is a luxury."

There were no words for a time before Picard finally started to grasp just how difficult of a life Vegeta must have had. The strict discipline, the tight control, the near perfect obedience, it was all engrained into the warrior King while he was growing up. Before him stood the perfect warrior, cold, ruthless, able to calculate and plan without mercy.

However, he also seen a warrior that was concerned with the balance of the Galaxy of which he presided, of the lives of his people and those that were under the watchful gaze of the Saiyan Empire. He noted a person that listened and considered all that was said to him. He was a living contradiction.

Looking at the warrior beside him, Jean Luc was starting to gain a new appreciation for the Saiyan that stood beside him. He did not try to take over his ship, and even when presented the opportunity, he essentially left it to the Captain's discretion. The warrior stood steady, and in spite of all the past hardships, the Saiyan seemed more steadfast and wise than what he seemed.

Vegeta however, was lost in thought. His every instinct told him that this battle was not yet over, that the war as far from being won. The furrowing of the brow lifted momentarily when he gazed down the passageway. Once he had figured out who it was, he merely turned and glanced at the Captain as perplexity flashed across his expression. "May I ask what is so intriguing, Captain? Surely you've heard of hard luck cases before."

"I have, and more than I care to count, Vegeta. You however, do not seem to have as much bitterness or feelings of entitlement that I have seen in the other races. You are indeed an enigma, and that alone makes you of interest to so many." Picard smiled gently, amused at the warrior's quick notice.

With a light nod, the Saiyan warrior turned back toward the turbolift. Taking a deep breath, he glanced back toward the Captain. "I am a bit of a mystery, and I plan on staying that way. My past is best left lying in the dust and rubble under which I had left it buried."

Nodding in agreement, Picard spoke up. "If that is how you would like it, that's fine. I won't pry unless it interferes with the operation of the ship."

"Then you won't have to worry about that, Captain. It's under tight wraps. There is little of that time that concerns the here and now." Vegeta mentioned, his brow again furrowing a bit. He tolerated a lot. The king had to for the sake of those around him. He could not allow himself to get too angry, and with good reason.

The warrior only stepped onto the turbolift and the Captain made a last minute change of plans. "Deck Ten."

Vegeta shot a sideways look at him, but did not question. Instead he would bide his time and wait to see what was going on. Often times he was the one that threw the others in a twist. This time the roles were reversed. He would simply play along with what was going on. As the lift stopped, he stepped out to the passageway and followed Picard.

Reading the small sign on the door, Vegeta walked in behind. There was Guinan, behind the bar, wiping up a bit of condensation left from a glass. Then as the warrior came in, Vegeta noted the looks, but more thought them for the Captain. Sitting down at one of the bar stools, the Saiyan gently clasped his hands before him upon the bar. Jean Luc sat beside him, as Guinan moved in front of them. "What can I help you gentlemen with tonight?" She asked in a calm, measured tone.

Vegeta thought about it for a moment before simply asking for the cold water again. Picard however thought it odd. He never knew the Saiyan to drink anything other than the cold water that was always summoned for. Though he knew it was good and essential, he just did not see the Saiyan drink anything otherwise. Picard finally broke the silence. "Have you tried some of our juices and such?"

Glancing toward the Captain, Vegeta downed the water rather quickly. "Food is what I'm more interested in Captain. It is our main source of fuel for our energy."

"We have a wide variety. What would you like?" Jean Luc asked, not realizing just how much a Saiyan could eat when hungry as Vegeta was.

"More to the point Captain, its how much can your replicators handle?" Vegeta solemnly asked the person beside him.

At first Captain Picard laughed, until he noted the seriousness of the warrior's gaze. He watched as Vegeta stood up and went to the replicator and ordered several dishes of food. Bringing them back, he began to eat quickly. His manners though remained impeccable. Vegeta's elbows were off the table, but he was leaned over, his cheeks stuffed with the food.

A crowd started to gather as the warrior continued to consume a good deal of food. Dishes began to pile up, the replicators in use only to continue serving the food. Once a buffet table's worth of a meal had been consumed, did Vegeta finally lean back in his seat and dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. The slack jawed disbelief of those watching, was only met with astonished silence.

Picking up the dishes, he would return them to the replicators for the dishes to be taken back to be cleansed and recycled back into the energies that it was drawn from. As Vegeta sat back down, he would order one more glass of water before he slowed back down, sipping on the cold liquid once more. "That will suffice for a light snack."

Vegeta could almost imagine them falling on the floor behind him. A stunned expression replaced astonishment, but the warrior King could only furrow a brow. "Permission to return to my quarters, Captain?"

"Granted. May I accompany you as well?" Picard asked, noting the beginnings of irritance on the warrior's expression.

"It is your ship, Captain. I am not one to tell you how to run your ship or where you could go. Thank you for the courtesy though. It's more than what some races have given." The Saiyan stood up and then placed the glass on the replicator once more. Finally, he strode toward the door and out, headed for the quarters when he heard that odd sound again. Stopping, he looked back again, and the Captain noticed the pause.

"What is it Vegeta?" Picard asked of the warrior.

"I'm not exactly sure Captain." Vegeta was not about to let this slip by though. He called out instead. "Who's there! Show yourself!" The warrior commanded firmly, a fist clinching tightly. "There's no use hiding from me. I can track you on this ship no matter where you go."

"Vegeta, there's nothing there." Jean Luc said, putting a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder.

"Speak for yourself Captain. Someone is here, and I intend to find out who it is." Vegeta scowled as he moved to where he had heard the sound. A scraping sound soon followed by silence. Vegeta turned and looked at the panel. "Its pointless to continue hiding and trying to stalk me. I will find you and I will force you out!" The tone in the warrior's voice did not joke around.

The Saiyan scowled heavily as Picard looked to where Vegeta's gaze was trained. There certainly seemed no fooling around on the Saiyan's part. Jean Luc watched as Vegeta raised a hand, a ball of energy in his hand. "If you don't come out, I'll blast you out. This is your final warning!"

As the Saiyan remained in poised offensive position, the ball of energy hummed in his hand like that of a bright warning shot. There was no bluff to call. Whatever the warrior was sensing was now shifting around behind the panels, possibly in the Jefferies tubes. The anticipation of what was there grew nearly unbearable. This was the moment of truth to seeing what or who was behind that panel.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter 17**_

_**Confrontations**_

The sound of movement stopped, a lapse of time came with a brief moment of thuds and scrapes. Vegeta stood poised, the orb of energy in his hand as he held it steady. Once the hatch came off, the warrior lowered his hand, the energy being reabsorbed into his palm. The tactic caught the Captain off guard before taking interest in it. He was not about to question the methods at this moment.

After seeing how powerful one blast could be, Picard seemed a little nervous when an energy orb flared up on the palm of the hand briefly. The attention quickly shifted to the banging behind the panels. Vegeta's hand twisted slightly to the right as he held his hand up ready to fire should he need to once more. Jean Luc reached up and gently applied pressure on the Saiyan's arm, but it was tight as the alloy the Enterprise was made of. No one would be able to bring that arm down unless Vegeta wanted it to and upon feeling the pressure, he lowered his hand, abiding the Captain's whim.

Shortly after the arm was lowered, the hatch came off. A brief moment of silence followed before the scraping and sliding of a person came out on the floor and shown themselves. Standing before them, Legate Turrel straightened up and looked at the smaller individual first. "You have at last found me."

Vegeta's brow knit on this. "I felt your energy while in meditation a couple hours back. You're just not enough of a threat to really care about ferreting out." The tone remained gruff, a look of disgust twisted his features.

"You don't know me yet, as I don't know you. I am Legate Turrel. I have been in the tubes of this ship now since the battle. We need help finding a new home world for Cardassia." The same twisted disgust was reflected back at the Saiyan briefly before looking at the Captain. "I seek brief asylum if you will allow it, Captain."

Picard looked between the two and finally nodded lightly. "Well, as we are in Federation space, we are supposed to grant asylum to those that seek it. Tell me though, why try this hiding instead of just coming out and saying it, Legate? It would not have caused as much suspicion and possibly have laid King Vegeta at ease."

Turrel tried to hide the surprise in his expression when he learned of Vegeta's status. To have the very head of an Empire on board was not common unless the ship itself remained in orbit. "Your people fought with courage and honor, even in Cardassian terms. I am one of the highest ranking Cardassian Legates. Its just too bad they were not strong enough to chase something like that off."

"I would not expect less from a true Saiyan Warrior. That still doesn't answer the question though. I could have just blasted a hole in the panel and you'd be dead right now." Vegeta shown no weakness. Even at his smaller frame and height, he stood just as boldly as the Cardassian in front of him, the black eyes penetratingly dark. It sent shivers up the Cardassian's spine.

"I did not want to arouse suspicion amongst my own people. If they knew I was on board, they would try to have me killed anyway as a traitor." Legate Turrel commented rather casually.

Vegeta merely scoffed. "If you have to hide from your own people, then why are you doing this in the first place? I know it wasn't for simple conversation. Get to the point."

Picard looked between the both of them. Motioning them back down the hall, they returned to Ten Forward. Vegeta sat down, leaning back after snagging a glass of water. The Captain ordered his usual tea while the Cardassian drank something from his planet's decent. Once they settled, the warrior leaned back, his gaze casting to the side toward the window and stared outside.

Turrel looked over at the Captain. "He is certainly very nosy."

Turning to look toward Vegeta, Jean Luc only shrugged. "From what I have witnessed, he has every reason to be. However, this is not about him. This is about what you are doing on my ship and Vegeta asked a very good question. I would expect it answered."

"If I told the others, I would be considered a traitor for just speaking with the Federation. What I'm thinking of though is what planet would be suitable for the Cardassians to inhabit." The Legate became more tense in his conversation. He was not sure why, but Vegeta's presence put him ill at ease. Could it be because the warrior was so collected and controlled? Perhaps he was looking at the perfect weapon, a warrior with the killer instinct and able to cut off all sense of morality and emotion in a split second.

Vegeta turned around to face the Cardassian. "So when are you going to tell us the truth?"

"What do you mean? I am telling the truth." Turrel commented, a note of disgust on his face.

"I sense life energies, and that means a cloaked vessel. Were you planning on talking peace and then when our guard was down, you'd strike? The Romulans tried it too, and we outsmarted them. So I will ask again, when are you going to tell us the truth?" Vegeta stepped closer to the Cardassian Legate. No fear shown in the ebon gaze, just pride, and that hypnotically penetrating stare.

Turrel lifted his head up, tipping lightly to the side as his lip curled to a snarl. "You should learn to mind your manners, Vegeta. That is not for you to question." Turrel hissed his answer.

"You have that cloaked vessel right off our port side." Vegeta countered forcefully. "Lets make one think clear right now, Legate. I could care less if you are Federation, Cardassian, Romulan, whatever. What I care about is why you are trying to deceive the Captain. If this were the ship I served early in life, you would not be standing here talking. You would be killed and your ship destroyed for this. So I will ask you one last time, Legate, when are you going to start telling us the truth?" The warrior King's fists clinched tightly, but he maintained his discipline.

"Are you going to let this…monkey…speak to me in such a manner Captain?" Turrel asked in a tone that indicated disgust and offense.

Vegeta only growled once. "Don't bother, I won't sit here and be insulted by someone not even close to my power. Just remember, I have a long memory Legate. Lying to me is offensive in itself. You were the one that threw the insult first." Turning to the door the Saiyan scoffed, his pace brisk, storming toward the exit.

"Vegeta, halt." Picard called out the order.

Stopping immediately, he only glanced backward, his fury starting to get the better of him as the sapphire runes on the crown piece began to glow. Vegeta took a couple deep breaths. He had to calm down. Staying in place, he remained where he had been stopped, not giving the Cardassian a second look.

The Captain looked back at the Legate. "You should apologize to him, Turrel. I have only known Vegeta to be rather respectful and very well disciplined."

"Then he needs better manners to not question those above his rank that he wears while on board this ship. If he were on a Cardassian vessel, he may even be lashed for his defiance toward a guest." Turrel again commented in a disgusted tone.

Vegeta turned and carefully picking a spot finally fired off the five ki rings that would bind the Cardassian to the bulkhead firmly. The warrior neared the Cardassian as though he were a predator stalking prey. "The next time you call me a 'monkey', Cardassian, I'll have your head. That is not a threat. It's a promise. The rank while wearing this uniform is what I hold out of respect for the Captain and nothing else. Be glad Captain Picard is here because he is right now the only one holding me back from doing far worse."

As Turrel fought against the restraints holding him, he began to see why the Saiyans were not challenged nearly as much. There was no lethal force used, not even to stun him. What happened next though took him off guard. Finding the restraints released, he found the Saiyan quickly on him. Vegeta's hand was on his throat and one hand was pointed directly to his heart ready to rip through his uniform and heart.

Picard did not stop this, nor did he intervene. Instead, he would let it play out, knowing that Vegeta would not give lethal strike. This was a fear tactic, something to get the Cardassian to start telling the truth about why he was on board. The Captain neared the two upon the floor. "I would do as he tells you. I don't know how much longer he can restrain that anger." Picard said, using the situation as a bargaining chip.

"Fine, just get him off me." The Legate choked out, his hands going to Vegeta's arm as he felt the hardened steel like muscles. There was no weakness at all in the Saiyan. The black eyes were murderous. The warrior's grip was like a vice unlike any other he had felt. The fear began to creep into the Cardassian.

"Vegeta, stand down." Captain Picard gave the order.

Curling his lip in a snarl, Vegeta caught on to what the Captain was doing. The rage within seethed. "Just remember the Captain saved your life this time Legate." Vegeta growled low and deep in the Cardassian's ear, feeling a brief shiver run through Turrel. Letting go of the Legate, Vegeta stood at the ready on Picard's right side. The tail around the King's waist would lash back and forth violently in warning.

As Vegeta stood back up, Picard came up to the Legate. "Is it true? Is there a ship off our port side? Just like Vegeta, I do expect an honest answer. I would not want war to break out between the Federation and the Cardassians for a misunderstanding." Picard stated as he helped the Legate to his feet.

The moment Turrel started to reach for a phaser upon the table nearest him, Vegeta was there to block his movement. Taking it up in hand, the Saiyan warrior squeezed effortlessly upon the weapon, crushing it in hand easily. Flaring up another ki blast in hand, Vegeta took aim. "Unlike you, I don't need a weapon. I am the weapon."

Stopping short, Turrel backed a step as he watched the device fall to the ground at the Saiyan's feet. His attention drew upward to see a pulse of blue rimmed energy pulsing in the warrior's hand What advantage he thought he would have over the smaller fighter quickly slammed shut before him. There was no where to go, and no way to escape. The Enterprise shields were up, meaning transporting out was impossible as well. Legate Turrel was trapped. "Of course, Captain, I'm sure something can be worked out."

Picard nodded as Vegeta lowered the energy ball, allowing it to again reabsorb into his palm. As the Cardassian followed the Captain up to the Conference Room, Vegeta was close on his heels. When they entered the room, the Legate sat down to the Captain's right at the head of the table. Vegeta on the other hand sat directly across from him to Picard's left. Not many dared to challenge a Cardassian head on, but this Saiyan seemed impossible to corner or intimidate.

Jean Luc sat down finally at the head and looked at Turrel. "Answers, now." He demanded of the Cardassian.

"Yes, there is a ship off your port side. The Saiyan was not mistaken in that. It is my ship that I had bring me here. The Cardassians are going to call the world they inhabit now, Cardassia Four. However, I do not like being outsmarted by someone that shows no manners or steps out of line." The Legate turned to curl a lip again at Vegeta.

Vegeta only leaned back, his hand upon the smooth glass surface of the curved table. As the Saiyan listened, his gaze became unreadable. If he were playing poker, it would be the perfect poker face. The eyes looked evil in themselves, the lighting of the room giving a more evil appearance. Instead of retorting back though, he maintained a lethal silence, seeing the Legate swallow nervously.

"We know nothing of these Saiyans save that they are extremely powerful. How do we know that they are not a bigger threat than that ship that took out Cardassia Three?" Turrel would try to plant a knife in Vegeta's stoic expression.

Silence hushed in the room before Vegeta replied, his tone quiet and menacing. "If I wanted you dead Legate, you would not be talking right now. Of course if you insist on the death of your race, I could be easily talked in to going back and picking up where the Big Gete Star left off."

Shocked at the comment made, Picard's head whipped toward Vegeta. "You wouldn't do anything that drastic would you?"

Vegeta continued to stare at Turrel. "If he keeps pressing into me with insults, I would not think twice about it. I would suspect the planet to be taken in under a day if I wanted it to happen and I could do that myself without much issue."

The Cardassian looked at Vegeta with high alert. However the calm seriousness of the warrior's expression told him otherwise. "You would not do that to my home." Legate Turrel said in more of a whisper, trying to convince himself that the Saiyan before him would not dare to go that far.

"I have taken over planets before, even destroyed them. What is one more? The question is, would it be worth the effort. The way you keep insulting me, I may just do that from being annoyed." Vegeta coldly stated while tapping out a message on the pad before him, sending it privately to the Captain.

The Captain seemed to take a bit of ease once he understood Vegeta's ploy and even went along with it. "If I have learned one thing about Vegeta is that he does not bluff on such things, Legate Turrel."

Sitting back, the Cardassian seemed to get a look of defeat upon his features. Finally giving in, he looked at Vegeta. "You are correct. We were going to strike when the Enterprise had lowered its guard. If you were Cardassian, you would most likely be in the Obsidian Order. You are too smart for your own good I planned to steal the secrets from the Enterprise, like the frequencies of your shields and use them against you."

Vegeta scoffed, his arms crossing as his eyes closed. Standing up he finally walked to get a space suit on, departing the room to head for the bridge. Holding the helmet under his left arm, the Saiyan motioned for the First Officer. As Riker neared him, the warrior whispered in the ear and soon the warrior was underway to the hatch that allowed him to go out into space. Once out, he stood at the front rim of the saucer section and focused.

As soon as the Cardassian was transporting to his own vessel, Vegeta leapt up in to space and then touched down on the shield itself, the hum of the energy under him told the Saiyan King that he was right now unprotected. Once he had his footing though, he would unleash a series of orbs of energy.

Once the energy orbs were unleashed, Vegeta held one more on the palm of his hand, waiting, watching. The sense of life energies would ebb closer as the ship neared them. The Cardassians were trying to move in to damage the ship, if not destroy it. Each of the orbs did not seem like much, but only Vegeta knew how much power each ball contained.

On the Cardassian vessel, they sneered, looking at Vegeta's mine field that was laid out. They did not have the intelligence of Data to help them calculate the dangerous situation they were approaching. No, this was to their point of view, a weak attack, not worthy of being taken seriously. Turrel looked at the lone individual standing upon the shields of the Enterprise, giving a light sneer. "Target that person and fire." He said as he took the ship.

Once the ship began to move toward the Enterprise, the mine field that had been set, began to explode. On the screen of both ships, they could see the cold smile of the warrior King. The Cardassian vessel was rocked violently by the explosions, detonated by the ki energy. Taking off, the warrior began to fly closer to the other ship, well aware of the vessel's location. Seeing the ripples on the shields of the cloaked ship, Vegeta moved in to what would look like a kneeling position.

Picard watched the activity occur. Right now, Vegeta was acting as a Saiyan, not as a member of Starfleet. Then again, Vegeta had never claimed to be of Starfleet and thus any actions the warrior took were between him and the Cardassians. "Report." The Captain called out to the Bridge Crew.

"Sir, there is a vessel off our port bow as Vegeta had indicated. From taking the hits though, their shields are down to fifty-nine percent. It is conceivable that if the Cardassians fought with Vegeta alone, they would most certainly lose the fight." Data gave his report in a calculated manner.

"They are taking aim at Vegeta and charging weapons, Captain." Worf added.

"Something tells me, that if they fired on Vegeta alone, they would miss." Picard added, amused at the mere notion of how this had progressed.

"Shooting at something that small and maneuverable is no easy feat." Riker said, looking at his Captain.

"The chance of being hit by a photon torpedo, phaser, or other weapon by relative size difference is at least ten percent. However, given the quick speeds that Vegeta can maneuver, I believe the phrase is, one in a million chance that he would be struck." Data said amused at the calculations that began to process through his processors.

"Surely the Cardassians would know that hitting such a small target would be at best extremely difficult." Jean Luc mused over the situation.

Once the phasers from the Cardassian ship were fired, they watched as Vegeta came up close and personal to where the now cloaking vessel had appeared. In fact, he stood right on their shields, giving clear indication of where they were, much like a beacon in a storm. However, the warrior was not stopping there.

Vegeta drew his hands back toward his left side, a purple hue of energy now casting a glimmer of light from his hands. The Saiyan looked at the Cardassian vessel head on, transmitting to both ships now. "Legate Turrel, you will turn this ship around immediately and head back to Cardassian space. Failure to do so will at the very least, disable your ship. This is your only warning!"

"He's bluffing!" A Gul called out on the Cardassian ship. His expression one of disgust and fear.

Turrel only dipped his head. "That was a mine field. They were not his most powerful attack. Gul Dukat. This Saiyan is not bluffing and if he and a handful of his people could take out a fleet of our ships in the Typhon Expanse, there is no reason to think this is a bluffing move. Turn-about, we are heading back to Cardassian space. Our coup de gras on the Federation will have to wait until later. However before we do, take out that pesky monkey."

With another round of phaser fire, Vegeta dodged each one easily, drawing fire even away from the Enterprise. Vegeta finally stopped once more, going back to a kneeling position where his hands came together. The orb of energy now grew in intensity enough to register on the computers of both ships. Rays of light spun about as Vegeta focused on his target.

Another round of weapons were used, but this time, Vegeta unleashed the Galick Gun, destroying their weapons and taking out their shields and weapons array. Once they had been disabled, Vegeta went for their cloaking device and began to take that out as well. The shuddering of the ship had the crew in a state of alert. Then as the cloak came down, Vegeta departed from the hull and again moved in front of them. "I suggest you leave Federation space immediately."

There were no further words on that as the ship would begin turning about and moved away from the Enterprise. The Saiyan watched before being beamed back on board by the teleporter. Stepping off the panel, the Saiyan looked to the Captain and raised a brow, even as Riker smiled a large grin. "That's one way to run them off." Commander Riker said if not a little smugly.

Picard looked at his First Officer before returning his attention to Vegeta. "That was a powerful attack against them. Since you have not allied yet with the Federation, there is nothing we can do on the dispute between the Cardassians and Saiyans. Our Prime Directive forbids such interference."

The warrior only nodded before taking a deep breath and removing the space suit. Worf soon came in as well, enthralled about the battle that just happened. "An honorable battle, Vegeta. You would even do well by the Klingon Empire. From one warrior to another, it seems we have some similarities."

"So it may seem, Worf. Now if you will please excuse me, I would like some rest. I'm going on roughly three days without sleep." Vegeta said, excusing himself for the moment, slipping past the trio of officers and headed for his quarters. Once he was there, he pulled off the uniform and slip into a pair of shorts and a loose blue fitting shirt. Moving to the edge of the bed, he began to write in his journal.

He was not sure when he had fallen asleep, waking with a start, sitting straight up. Vegeta put a hand to his forehead and felt the familiar crown piece upon his forehead. It was something he never took off. The Counselor was there calling his name. Troi, Crusher, and Picard all had a similar look of concern on their faces. Sitting up, the warrior stretched momentarily, hunching over as his tail lay at his side, flicking lightly. "Is something going on?" Vegeta asked

"You were calling out a couple things in a nightmare. It drew the alert of a couple officers and they reported it to our Captain." Deanna gently informed Vegeta.

"What couple of things?" Vegeta asked, a brow raising lightly, shifting the journal back to its resting place. A furrow crossed his brow.

"Perhaps it would be better if you told us what you were dreaming of? You were mentioning about killing an entire ship." Deanna stepped closer almost cautiously. "What ship were you threatening?"

Taking a couple breaths, the warrior heard the beeping of the tricorder running a scan over him. "His vitals are returning to normal, Captain. It must have been one hell of a nightmare though to cause him to struggle so hard."

Vegeta listened quietly to what was being said. "It was a battle that took place long ago. The fight against Frieza."

"May we ask about that particular battle?" Deanna asked inquisitively.

With a gritting of teeth, his tail wrapped back around his waist tightly. "Its something best left in the past. Its done, its over, and not something I enjoy recounting." Vegeta tersely countered.

"Well this is an order Vegeta, you will report to Counselor Troi in the morning when you wake up." Picard's serious tone, left no room for the Saiyan to counter.

"Aye, Captain." Vegeta reflexively replied before laying back down, exhaustion again took over as he once more fell asleep.

When Vegeta finally woke from slumber, he sat up, pulling on the uniform once more. Making sure that there was no flaw in the uniform, he took a deep breath. The last thing he wanted was to speak to a counselor. He had given his word though, acknowledging to the Captain that he would, even if it were in the brief interlude between dreams.

Lost in thought, he looked up after a time to see the Counselor's office to his left. Taking a deep breath, he chimed the door. Upon the Counselor's permission, he entered the room and with a brief look around, moved toward Deanna, coming to attention. Vegeta only knew that he was here to do as the Captain had ordered.

"You may relax. Nothing said, leaves this room unless there is threatened harm to self or others." Deanna's quiet manners seemed to have a reflexive response to the Saiyan's tight control. She smiled as he seemed to let down his guard at least a little.

"You will have to forgive me, Counselor, I'm not sure what exactly I'm supposed to do here." Vegeta candidly stated, his look a bit puzzled as he continued to look around the office.

"I'm aware that you know what Counselors are. We provide an ear for those that need to talk. We can see what keeps bringing these nightmares up and hopefully get to the bottom of them." Troi replied, trying to keep direct and to the point as she had sensed Vegeta's normal temperament.

"So you just want me to talk then?" Vegeta tried to confirm what she was saying.

"That's correct, Vegeta. Please, have a seat, wherever you'd be comfortable. We can discuss about this Frieza that you mentioned and why you felt it necessary to destroy an entire ship."

Taking a deep breath, the Saiyan found a seat on a chair, the warrior thinking of the many battles he'd had. This was one in a long line of confrontations, but the warrior's images were clear as could be. He watched as the Counselor flinched a moment in surprise. "Yes, Counselor, we're part telepathic as well. I'll try to refrain from using it. Now, about these nightmares." Vegeta leaned forward, the look between them one of serious contemplation.


End file.
